Solar panels for concentrating, capturing, and transmitting solar energy in conversion systems

ABSTRACT

A panel for concentrating and collecting solar energy. The panel includes light collector assemblies that are positioned side-by-side. Each collector assembly includes a receiver element with an elongate body and a light receiving surface on a first side of the body that has a curved cross section. A concentrating lens extends along the length of the receiver body, and the lens is a flat or arched Fresnel lens adapted to focus incident light onto a long, thin strip along the length of the light receiving surface. A plurality of light transmission sheets or wafers extend along the receiver element body with a first edge of the sheet abutting (e.g., to provide optical coupling) a surface opposite the light receiving surface. Light is captured by the transmission sheets at angles that allow total internal reflectance to transmit the light to a master light sheet for transmission through the panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to devices and systems forconcentrating and collecting solar energy, and, more particularly, to asolar energy concentrator and transmission panel configured to focuslight or rays from the Sun onto smaller or select portions of lightreceiving surfaces and to then to capture or trap the concentrated,received light (or photons) and transmit it efficiently through one ormore panels in a solar array to a solar energy collector (e.g., a solarthermal collector, a photovoltaic collector, or other collector) for useby a load such as a thermal load to heat a house or water or such as anelectrical load after conversion of the solar energy to electricity.

2. Relevant Background

There is a rapidly growing interest in using solar energy to replace orsupplement conventional energy sources such as coal and oil. Governmentsand industries are experiencing shortages in conventional energy due toreduced supply from their sources and increased demand for the limitedoutput. Conventional energy sources have also become increasinglyexpensive due to increased demand from developing countries and otherusers. Many of these energy sources such as oil and coal are criticizedbecause their use may cause harm to or degrade the local or globalenvironment. In contrast, solar energy is freely available over theentire Earth's surface, is renewable, and is generally consideredenvironmentally friendly. One of the main remaining challenges facingresearchers is how to more effectively and efficiently collect and usethe Sun's light or energy.

There are many different types of solar energy systems that convertsolar energy into a useful form of energy. Solar energy systems mayinclude a solar collector that captures light or solar energy andconverts the energy into heat that is supplied to a demand for thermalenergy or a thermal load such as residential heating or heating of afluid such as water for residential or industrial uses. In other solarenergy systems, the demand for energy or the load may include anelectrical storage device or a system or appliance using electricity. Insuch solar energy systems, the solar collector assembly may include aphotovoltaic collector to convert the solar energy directly intoelectricity or the solar collector assembly may include a thermalcollector and a power cycle to convert heat in a fluid, such as water,into electricity. The electricity is then fed to an electricaltransmission grid, to electrical storage, or to the end-use system ordevice.

A limiting factor in effective utilization of solar energy is the costand inefficiency of the solar collector assembly. The solar collectorassembly acts to intercept incoming light or rays from the Sun (e.g.,solar energy, photons, or the like) and changes it to a useable form ofenergy for a particular load or demand. One form of solar collectorassembly is called a flat-plate thermal solar collector, and thesecollector assemblies include a large plate of blackened material that isoriented on a roof or other location to receive a significant amount ofsolar energy (e.g., on a portion of a residential roof with southernexposure in the northern hemisphere). Tubes or ducting are providedadjacent this array or plate of absorbing material to remove heat fromthe plate by transferring it to gas, water, or other fluid in the tubesor ducting, and the heated fluid carries the collected energy to athermal load. Flat plate collectors typically are stationary and do nottrack the Sun, with their fixed mounting chosen to provide anappropriate tilt to minimize the angle between the Sun's rays and thesurface at a peak collection time such as noon. Flat plate thermalcollectors do not require significant maintenance and are relativelyinexpensive to install, but these collectors are not able to achievehigh temperatures in the collector fluids and are generally not veryefficient in collecting the available solar energy.

Flat-plate photovoltaic collector assemblies are also in common use andinclude an array or panel of photovoltaic cells that are encapsulatedwithin a sandwich structure with a front or upper surface made of glassor plastic. These assemblies are also often positioned at an angle anddirection that is optimum for a particular time of day and time of yearto receive solar energy striking the front surface and to convert aportion of this energy into electricity. In some cases, flat platephotovoltaic panels are mounted on mechanisms that track the Sun about atilted axis to increase the daily output of the panels. Such collectorassemblies are often inefficient in converting the received power intoelectricity and may require large surface areas to support an electricalload of any size, which increases the overall cost.

Concentrators are often included in solar collector assemblies to moreeffectively capture solar energy such as when higher temperatures arerequired for a thermal load or to more efficiently utilize aphotovoltaic (PV) collector. In typical concentrator configurations, alarge reflective surface is directed or adapted to reflect onto asmaller area for conversion of the solar energy into a useful form ofenergy. Most concentrating collectors must follow or track the Sun'spath across the sky as they can only concentrate parallel rays or lightfrom the Sun's disk. For example, a parabolic trough collector assemblymay provide a parabolic concentrator with a reflective surface thatreflects on a receiver within the trough. A central receiver-typecollector assembly may include a number of planar or arcuate reflectivesurfaces that are directed toward a centrally located receiver orcollector. A parabolic dish-type collector assembly uses a parabolicconcentrator to reflect received light onto a receiver or collector. Insome photovoltaic collector assemblies, panels of non-imaging Fresnellenses or lens materials (e.g., arched or convex shaped Fresnel lenses)are used to concentrate light striking the lens array onto a singleabsorber or PV collector surface. In these assemblies, tracking istypically performed in an extremely accurate manner to focus thereceived light from the Sun onto a receiver or fixed portion of thecollector surface. Tracking is required because even a smallmisalignment can result in a substantial decrease in the amount of solarenergy collected as the concentrated light often fails to strike thereceiver or collector. In addition to the need for tracking, existingsolar concentrators are generally very large and complex, which causescollector assemblies to be expensive to build and install and alsoexpensive to maintain.

Hence, there remains a need for improved solar conversion systems thatmore effectively collect or capture solar energy. Preferably, suchconversion systems would include concentrators or solar panels thatconcentrate received light, with these concentrator mechanisms beingrelatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. In some cases, suchconcentrator designs will be smaller than conventional or existingconcentrator assemblies such as with less surface area and/or smallerprofiles (e.g., thicknesses) being required to achieve similar or higherenergy outputs to the collector. Further, it may be preferable that suchconcentrator assemblies provide significantly more efficiency incapturing and concentrating received light or solar energy, with somesuch assemblies or panels not requiring tracking of the Sun's daily pathto achieve enhanced solar energy concentration that is then provided toa solar collector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above problems by providing solarpanels or modules that can be used individually or combined to form asolar array to provide concentrated energy to a collector within a solarenergy conversion system. The solar panels of the present invention areunique, in part, because they include one, two, and more typically aplurality of light concentrator assemblies that are arranged in aside-by-side manner to combine the light or energy each captures toprovide concentrated solar energy output. Each of the light concentratorassemblies may include an elongate trough or basket (e.g., a lightreceiving element) to provide an arcuate (e.g., parabolic), lightreceiving surface that extends the length of the panel. A concentratinglens such as a flat or arched Fresnel lens is provided that extendsabove the light receiving surface and acts to focus Sun light onto thelight receiving surface, and the lens is spaced apart from much or allof the receiving surface.

The concentrating lens may function to focus the Sun's rays or solarenergy over a large range of incidence angles onto the light receivingsurface of the trough or basket, and this focused light may besignificantly concentrated (e.g., up to a 30 to 50 times or moreconcentration of received or incident light) and typically is focused onthe light receiving surface as a thin strip or a long bead of light thatextends along the length of the trough. For example, the solar panel maybe positioned within a stationary solar array on a roof or in a solarcollection field/plot, and the position of the concentrated strip oflight may move from higher up on one side of the arcuate light receivingsurface to a center point of the surface (e.g., at about noon) to higherup on the other side of the arcuate light receiving surface.

To capture this concentrated light or solar energy, the solar trough orlight receiving element is formed of material that is light transmissiveand, more typically, transparent or nearly so such as a clear plastic,glass, or ceramic material. Each of the concentrator assemblies includesa plurality of thin wafers or sheets that are in optical contact withthe back or opposite side of the light receiving surface and extend thelength of the trough. These wafers or sheets act as initial lighttransmission sheets or pipes that accept or capture the light or energyconcentrated or focused upon the light receiving elements at variouspositions along the trough and at a proper acceptance angle to enter thewafer (e.g., less than about 42 degrees to provide total internalreflection (TIR) within the wafer or sheet). The light receiving surfacemay have its cross sectional shape and position relative to theconcentrating lens defined by, at least in part or based on, the focalpoints of the lens at various angles of incidence of the Sun's rays. Asthe light is focused from the Sun or other source onto the lightreceiving surface, one to three or more of the thin wafers or sheetsacts to capture and then transmit the received light (e.g., a subset ofthe initial light transmission sheets or pipes captures and transmitsthe light any particular incidence angle or time of day).

The physical configuration of the light receiving element and theinitial light transmission sheets may generally be understood by bendinga book or magazine backwards to cause the spline to become arched, andin this position the book spline is similar to the light receivingelement and the pages are similar to the light transmission sheets. Theinitial light transmission sheets may be positioned to capture lightfocused on substantially all of the light receiving surface, e.g., withlittle or no spacing between adjacent sheets at or near the opticalcontact connection between the back surface of the light receivingelement or trough and the receiving/capturing end of the initial lighttransmission sheets. The sheets may be kept spaced apart by texturingtheir surfaces, by providing a lenticular-lens type raised surface,and/or with other optical spacer mechanisms that function to limit lightbeing transmitted from one transmission sheet or pipe to a neighboringsheet/pipe. The dimensions of such a solar array may vary widely topractice the invention, but some embodiments may provide a relativelysmall solar panel or module that is up to 1 to 12 inches or more inwidth, up to 12 to 36 inches or more in length, and about 3 to 8 inchesor less in thickness (e.g., each light concentrator assembly may have across section that is less than about 3 square inches in someembodiments where it is desirable to provide a low or flat profile suchas roof-top applications). These relatively small panels or modules maybe combined to form an array of any desired size and solar energycapacity or output level.

The captured or received light is transmitted in the initial lighttransmission pipes or sheets to a main or master light sheet or pipethat may be a planar sheet of plastic, glass, ceramic, or the likeextending below the light concentrator assemblies. In some embodiments,intermediate light transmission sheets or pipes may be provided tofacilitate transmission of the received light or energy from the initiallight transmission sheets or pipes to the main or master light sheet.The light or energy captured from each of the light receiving elementsis transmitted to the main or master light sheet of the solar panel ormodule and is then transmitted, again via TIR, to an outlet edge of thepanel or module, which may in turn be connected to another solar panelor module to form a solar array or may be positioned so as to direct theconcentrated, captured, and transmitted light onto a solar collector(e.g., a photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, or other collector of a solarenergy conversion system or other solar energy use system).

More particularly, a panel or module is provided for concentrating andcollecting solar energy such as a panel or module that may be combinedwith other such panels or modules to form a collector array for a solarenergy conversion system. The panel includes two or more light collectorassemblies that are positioned side-by-side (e.g., such that they areparallel to each other). Each of the light collector assemblies includesa number of similar components including a light receiver element(sometimes labeled a trough or basket for receiving the concentratedlight from the lens) with an elongate body and a light receiving surfaceon a first side of the body that has a curved or arcuate cross sectionalshape. Each collector assembly also includes a concentrating lens thatextends over and along the length of the receiver element body, and lensmay be a flat or arched Fresnel lens adapted to focus incident light(e.g., the Sun's rays striking the lens) onto a long, thin strip orfocusing region along the length of the light receiving surface. Each ofthe collector assemblies also includes a plurality of light transmissionsheets or wafers that are positioned so as to extend along the receiverelement body with a first edge of the sheet abutting (e.g., to provideoptical coupling/contact) a surface opposite the light receivingsurface.

During use, a set of one or more of the light transmission sheetsreceives or captures the concentrated light and then transmits at leasta portion of the light focused into the strip on the light receivingsurface. The panel also includes a master light transmission sheetformed of a light transmissive material, and this sheet is positioned inthe panel “below” or spaced apart from the receiver elements. Each ofthe light transmission sheets may have a second edge or side in abuttingcontact (e.g., to provide a second optical coupling/contact) with asurface of the master sheet such that the light received or captured bythe light transmission sheets from the light receiving surface areinjected or provided to the master sheet for transmission (e.g., usingTIR) through the panel, e.g., for output to a collector providedadjacent the panel or adjacent an array of such panels.

Significantly, the panel may be used in non-tracking applications as thefocusing area or strip will move through a number of differing positionson the light receiving surface corresponding to the incidence angles ofthe light striking the concentrating lens. In this regard, the set ofthe light transmission sheets receiving/capturing the concentrated lightwill change (or differ) for these differing positions. In other words, asingle receiver is not used that requires a reflective surface to becarefully moved to maintain its focus on the receiver, but, instead,numerous light transmission sheets (e.g., 10 or more) are provided onthe opposite side of the light receiver element to capture theconcentrated light. The receiver body and the light transmission sheetsare formed from a light transmissive material (or, more typically, atransparent or at least substantially transparent material) such as aplastic, a glass, and/or a ceramic material. The Fresnel lens will havea plurality of focal points for the received light over a range ofangles of incidence, and to better capture the concentrated light, thecurved shape of the light receiving surface may be configured such thatat least portions of it are proximate (or even partially orsubstantially coincident/overlapping) to a set of focal points for theconcentrating lens at a number of incidence angles (e.g., the acceptanceangle or range for the panel such as −35 to +35 degrees or −50 to +50degrees with 0 degrees being normal or an orthogonal ray striking thelens). Also, the light is receive or captured at the edge of the lighttransmission sheets at one or more angles so as to create a state oftotal internal reflection (TIR) within the sheets (e.g., at anacceptance angle of less than about 42 degrees) such that the capturedlight is transmitted through the sheets to the master or main lighttransmission sheet, wafer, or pipe. Intermediate light transmissionsheets may be positioned between these initial transmission sheets andthe master sheet to facilitate manufacturing and/or maintenance of theTIR in the transmission sheets. The light transmission sheets aretypically relatively thin such as less than about 1 to 100 more inthickness (but may, of course, be thicker than 100 mils such as up to300 mils or more) and chosen/configured to capture much of the lightstriking and exiting the light receiver body. The sheets are spacedapart at the receiving ends by only a small amount such as between about0.5 mils to 100 mils separation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block illustration of a solar energy conversionsystem of an embodiment of the invention showing in perspective a solararray or module that may be formed of one or more solar panels that aredescribed in detail herein (i.e., the light or solar energy capture,concentration, and transmission panels of various embodiments of theinvention);

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a solar panel that may be usedindependently or as part of a solar panel or module as shown in thesolar energy conversion system of FIG. 1, with the solar panel beingillustrated with an open or exposed end to show components of lightconcentrator assemblies used to more effectively capture or trap lightas the light is focused on an elongate light-receiving element or basket(or trough) having an arcuate cross section (e.g., a parabolic or nearparabolic cross section) that may be defined, in part, by a plurality offocal points of an arched or curved concentrating lens that extendsalong/over the light-receiving element or basket;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a subassembly of an embodimentof a light concentrator assembly including a concentrating lens in theform of an arched Fresnel lens combined with an elongate, arcuate (orgenerally parabolic) shaped light-receiving element or trough, whichduring use would receive light (e.g., the Sun's rays) focused upon alight-receiving or inner surface by the Fresnel lens (e.g., light isconcentrated onto a thin strip or rectangle along the length of thelight-receiving element);

FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of an exemplary light concentratorassembly shown to include an arched Fresnel lens with an elongate, lightreceiving element and a light capture and transmission assembly of anembodiment of the invention that has a plurality of thin, elongatewafers or sheets (e.g., initial light transmission pipes or sheets) inoptical-transmission contact with the light receiving element fortransferring light received or captured/trapped along the length of thelight receiving element or trough to a main or master light transmissionelement (or sheet or pipe) via a number of intermediate lighttransmission wafers, sheets, or pipes positioned between the initiallight transmission sheets and the main or master light transmissionelement or sheet;

FIG. 5 illustrates an end view of another exemplary light concentratorassembly that may be used in a solar panel of the invention, with thelight concentrator assembly including a planar or flat Fresnel lens forits concentrating lens, including a smaller number of initial lightemission sheets in optical contact with the receiving element, such asmay be used in a panel in a non-stationary or tracking panel arrangement(e.g., illustrating the concept that the initial light transmissionsheets or wafers do not have to extend about entire surface of receivingelement), and further including textured surfaces on the sheets orwafers to space adjacent sheets/wafers apart to limit optical contact;

FIG. 6 illustrates a representation of a single concentrating lens andlight-receiving element pair of a concentrator assembly showing theeffectiveness of a concentrator assembly in concentrating incoming light(or energy from the Sun or other source) onto a small surface, which canthen be captured or trapped by a light wafer or pipe (or small set ofsuch wafers/pipes) in optical transmission contact with an opposite sideof a light receiving element or trough;

FIG. 7 is an end view of another solar panel of an embodiment of theinvention that includes three light concentration and transmissionassemblies with each including a plurality of thin, flexible lightwafers, sheets, or pipes (e.g., initial and intermediate transmissionpipes combined) that are placed in optical contact or connection withthe light receiving element and then arranged with a cross-sectionalshape as needed to attach to the main or master light pipe, sheet, orwafer with a desired acceptance angle (e.g., less than about 42 degreessuch that light is transmitted through the master light pipe or sheetdue to total internal reflection or TIR);

FIG. 8 is a detailed view taken from FIG. 7 showing light combination ofmultiple light wafers or pipes into the master light pipe, sheet, orwafer so as to maintain total internal reflection or only a small amountof variance and loss;

FIG. 9 illustrates a detailed view taken from FIG. 7 showing lightreceiving or trapping by a subset of the light wafers or pipes havingoptical contact with a portion of the light-receiving element (e.g.,adjacent or proximate to light (or Sun's energy) concentration/receivingarea on the light-receiving surface of the receiver element or trough);

FIGS. 10-12 illustrate ray tracing diagrams for an exemplary archedFresnel lens that may be used for a collecting or concentrating lens ofan embodiment of a light concentrating and transmitting assembly of theinvention with the ray tracing being used for defining or selecting across sectional shape for a light-receiving surface of a receiver ortrap element or trough (e.g., showing focal points/areas for the Fresnellens at a number of incidence angles for a light source such as the Sunwith an ideal receiver element having rays being focused on or near thereceiving surface over a range of incidence angles unlesstracking/positioning is used with the concentrator assembly or a panelcontaining such assembly); and

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an exploded end view of a solar array showingassembly of modular solar panels of an embodiment of the invention andan end view of an assembled solar array further optically linked to asolar collector (e.g., a solar thermal collector).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Generally, the present invention is directed to solar panels or modulesthat can readily be assembled into larger solar arrays and to solarenergy conversion systems that include such solar arrays such as tosupply thermal energy to a thermal load and/or to supply electricity toan electrical load. The following description explains in detail solarconcentrator assemblies that are configured to focus or concentratesolar energy or the Sun's rays incident upon the solar panel such as byusing arched Fresnel lenses. The solar energy is concentrated in stripsor long beads upon an upper surface of an arcuate light receivingelement or trough, with the location of the strip on the upper surfacevarying with the time of day or incidence angle of the received light.One or more light transmission sheets or pipes are in optical contactwith the lower surface of the light receiving element, which itself istransparent or at least significantly transmissive of light, to capturethe concentrated light or solar energy and to transmit it to a main ormaster light sheet or pipe in optical contact with each of the lightreceiving elements. In this manner, solar energy can be concentratedupon the light receiving surface at varying points along its surface,the concentrated light can be captured by one or more light transmissionsheets or pipes, and the captured light can be provided to a master ormain light sheet or pipe for transmittal to a solar panel outlet (e.g.,to another panel or to a solar collector for conversion to a more usefulform of energy). This occurs for each solar concentrator assembly in thesolar panel or module such that the concentrated solar energy is alsocombined to provide a desired quantity or magnitude of solar energy to acollector. The following description provides additional background onthe need for enhanced solar energy concentrators and transmission andthen provides a detailed discussion of embodiments of the invention withreference to the attached figures.

The demand for effective collection of solar energy for the generationof heat with thermal collectors and of electricity with PV collectors isnot a recent development, but rising oil prices, demands for less fossilfuel dependency, and increased interests in renewable energy havecombined to significantly increase the interest in solar energy. Manybelieve solar energy could be used to meet a large portion of theworld's energy demands. Recently, there has been increased investmentsin solar energy research, and there has even been widespread landspeculation regarding where large solar power facilities will be built.Clearly, there is a need for solar energy to meet expanding energydemands worldwide.

Unfortunately, there are a number of problems with utilizing solarenergy. One problem with using solar energy is that after collection andconversion to another form of energy it is a relatively expensive perunit of useful energy or power. Additionally, the Sun's energy isreadily available across most of the globe's surface, but energyconversion systems are often very inefficient in producing useful energyfrom the received energy or light. For example, most PV-based conversionsystems are only able to convert about 20 percent or less of the solarenergy to electricity. Many PV-based systems generate very little netpower per area (e.g., per square meter), with some systems providing netpower outputs of less than about 20 to 30 Watts per square meter (with70 Watts per square meter sometimes considered an upper maximum atperfect alignment of the PV arrays with the Sun). This results in alarge cost for the produced electricity, with some residential PV-basedsystems being designed to recoup initial expenditures in over 20 years(even, in some cases, with governmental tax relief on thepurchase/installation costs). A great amount of research is expendedattempting to provide PV collectors or panels that provide slightlybetter (e.g., up to a few percent) efficiencies, and PV material isoften expensive to manufacture and involves sophisticated designsadapted to capture various wavelengths of the Sun's rays. Presently,electricity from PV-based conversion systems is expensive with utilitiesbuying electricity from such systems at up to 25 times or more the costof electricity generated from fossil fuels such as coal, e.g., to complywith regulations regarding purchasing electricity from renewableenergy-based generation systems or facilities.

In some solar energy conversion systems, the thermal portion of thesolar energy is collected and used to heat water or other fluid, withthe water being used directly or being used to generate electricity(e.g., steam used to operate a turbine or the like). Thermal-basedconversion systems often are more efficient than PV-based conversionsystems in capturing energy from the Sun's rays or received solar energyand, often, in converting the captured energy to electricity. Most ofthe industrial power plants that use solar energy use parabolic troughsor mirrors that focus reflected rays from the Sun onto a single, centraltower or receiver so as to heat a collector or fluid in such acollector. The captured thermal energy is then converted to electricityor mechanical power with a turbine, Sterling engine, or other powercycle. While being more efficient, thermal-based systems also haveproblems or issues that have limited their implementation as analternative to fossil fuel systems. For example, thermal-based systemsgenerate up to a few hundred Watts of energy per square meter ofreceiving panel but the costs of the system are typically relativelyhigh. Additionally, these systems often require extremely accuratetracking of the Sun with the troughs and/or mirrors being moved bycomplex operation and/or control systems to maintain a desired angularrelationship with the Sun's rays. Thermal-based systems in the past havehad high maintenance costs including keeping the reflective surfacesclean and properly aligned within the positioning equipment While thesesystems have been implemented in some industrial settings, residentialsystems have not been widely developed or implemented by consumers.

FIG. 1 is a functional block or schematic view of a solar energyconversion system 100 of an embodiment of the invention. As shown, alight or energy source 104 such as the Sun transmits energy, rays, orlight 108 (generally termed “solar energy” and typically considered tobe made up of parallel light rays due to the distance to the source104). The system 100 includes a solar array 110 that is used concentratethis energy 108 and provide a concentrated output 124 at an outlet orend/side 120. The system 100 includes a solar collector 130 that acts toconvert the solar energy 124 into another form of energy for use by aload. For example, the collector 130 may be a solar thermal collectorthat converts the solar energy 124 into heat or thermal energy. Thethermal energy may then be stored in thermal storage 134 or 144 and/orit may be supplied to a thermal-based system 132 to supply a thermalload 138 (e.g., used to heat water, to provide residential or industriallevels of heat, and hot fluids/heat used in other residential orindustrial applications) or supplied to a PV/thermal-based system via apower cycle 146 (e.g., a power plan, an engine, or the like) thatconverts the thermal energy into electricity that is then supplied to apower grid, standalone, or other electrical load 150. The conversionsystem 100 may also include auxiliary source 136, 142, 152 of energy sothat demand may be met when the system 100 cannot meet demands withreceived solar energy 108 such as during long periods with no sunshineand after the storage 134, 144, 154 is depleted. In other cases, thecollector 130 may include one or more photovoltaic or PV collectors thatconvert a portion of the output solar energy 124 into electricity thatis provided to storage 154 and to electrical load 150.

One goal of the present invention is to create a low profile device orsolar array that does not require tracking of the Sun's position.Another goal of some embodiments is to try to more efficiently use moreof the received solar energy 108 (e.g., more of the available PV andthermal energy provided by the Sun 104). Another feature or goal of someembodiments is to provide an array or collector device that isrelatively inexpensive to make and use/maintain and that is safe forhome and other uses. Yet another goal is to provide concentratortechnology that is modular and, in some cases, readily scalable to suitvarying collectors 130 and/or converter and load subsystems 132, 140.

With these goals in mind, the system 100 includes a low-profile solararray 110 that is formed by combining or mating together a plurality ofsolar panels or modules 112 (with 8 panels 112 being shown in thisnon-limiting exemplary array 110). Each panel 112 includes two or morelight or energy concentrator assemblies 118 that are arranged parallelto each other within the panel 112 and generally extend the length,L_(panel), of the panel 112, and, as explained below in detail, theconcentrator assemblies 118 each act to concentrate and capture solarenergy 108 that strikes the upper surface 116 of the panels 112 or array110. The concentrated and captured light 122 is then transmittedtransverse (e.g., orthogonal) to the receiving surface 116 through eachof the panels or modules 116 (e.g., the connection mechanism 114 usedbetween abutting pairs of the panels 112 is configured to join thepanels 112 while also allowing the light or energy 122 to be transmittedthrough the solar array 110 such as within a main or master light sheetor planar pipe provided at the bottom or in another location within eachpanel 112) to be provided to the collector via outlet or outputedge/side 120 of the array 110 to collector 130. The length, L_(panel),and width, W_(panel), may be varied to practice the invention such asfrom a few inches to several feet or more. For example, an array 110that is 6 feet by 12 feet may be desired for a residential application,and this may be readily achieved by fitting panels/modules 112 (e.g., 36panels that are 2 feet long and 1 foot wide arranged in a 3 by 12 arrayand so on). The height, H_(panel) may also vary from less than an inchup to about 3 inches or more and likely will vary with the materialsutilized, the particular application (e.g., industrial versusresidential and so on), with lower profile arrays 110 in someresidential cases and other applications where a low profile array maybe desirable the panel 112 may have heights, H_(panel), of less thanabout 5 inches and more typically less than about 3 inches and even lessthan about 1 inch.

The concentrator assemblies 112 are believed to be unique when comparedwith prior concentrator technologies in part because nearly all of therays or solar energy 108 can be collected and transmitted within thearray 110 without tracking. This is achieved in part by “trapping” thephotons or rays 108 inside each assembly 112 by focusing the energy 108with a concentrating lens (e.g., an arched or flat Fresnel lens) thatextends the length, L_(panel), of the panel 112. The energy or rays 108is focused on a strip, bead, or thin line on an upper surface of a lightreceiving element (e.g., a curved or parabolic surface spaced apart fromthe lens with the surface coinciding generally with the focal points ofthe lens at a plurality of incidence angles for the rays 108 from theSun). Coinciding with this light receiving surface, a plurality of fiberoptic wavers or light transmission sheets are placed in optical contactwith the opposite side of the light receiving element, which istransparent or substantially so. In this manner, the incoming rays 108are focused into these light transmission sheets or wafers and are thentransmitted or directed into a master or main wafer or lighttransmission sheet, the concentrated/trapped rays 122 can then bedirected into the next panel 112 for combination with its captured rays122 for eventual output 124 of the array 110. Computer modeling hasshown that rays 108 over a large range of incidence angles can bereceived on surface 116 with up to and over 90 percent of the incomingrays 108 being trapped or captured in the panes 112 and then transmitted(with some small transmission losses) as output 124 for use by collector130.

As shown in FIG. 1, the panels 112 are adapted to be modular and aredesigned to “panel” together. As discussed above, the collector 124 mayuse just the portions or wavelengths of concentrated energy 124 for PVconversion to electricity, but in other cases the collector 130 isadapted to convert other portions or wavelengths of the energy 124 intothermal energy or heat for use by power cycle 146, thermal load 138,and/or storage 134, 144. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, thepanels 112 move the captured photons or energy 122 laterally, andgenerally this is performed without losses in the light transmissionsheets or pipes (e.g., initial, intermediate, and/or main/master fiberoptic sheets, pipes, or wafers) as the captured energy 122 is movedtoward the collector 130. In the assemblies 112 and even with nonplanararrays 110 or panels 112, the energy 122 can be caused to move aroundcorners/bends, up and down, or in a variety of paths to be supplied tothe collector 130 (or other end use/load).

The captured and transmitted energy 122 can be transmitted with minimaltransmission losses and with little or no thermal/heat loss. In otherwords, it is not expected that the panels 112 will become excessivelyhot due to losses regardless of the quantity or magnitude of the energy122 or energy 124. As a result, the panels 112 can be made of a widevariety of materials such as readily available plastics that aretransmissive to light 108, 122 or glass or certain ceramics that aretransparent or at least highly transmissive. When formed of plastic, thepanels 112 of the invention may be fabricated using conventional andwell-known methods for producing plastics, with the particular techniquechosen not being limiting of the invention, and the panels 112 includingthe light receiving element, the concentrating lenses, and lighttransmission sheets may be formed using a variety of materials. Thematerials used for forming the lens arrays may be glass, nearly any typeof clear (i.e., transparent to translucent/less transmissive) plasticincluding but not limited to PET, propylene, OPP, PVC, APET, acrylic, orany clear plastic, and/or a ceramic. In many embodiments, the preferredbase material is a plastic, and the plastic may be extruded, calendared,cast, or molded with the tools formed as described above to provide thefunctional structure described herein.

In some embodiments, no tracking is utilized and the panels 112 are ableto collect incoming rays 108 at over 70 percent acceptance within the“photon traps” or concentrator assemblies 112. The array 110 is designedto work without use of mirrors/reflective surfaces, without motors andcontrol systems, and without moving parts. The panels 112 may be thoughtof as “self correcting” because they allow nearly any incoming angle(sometimes called incidence angle or acceptance angle) of rays 108 toenter directly into the concentrator assemblies through the panel's mainor master light sheet or wafer as shown at 122 to the collector 130 asshown at 124. The array 110 may be configured to generate with a solarthermal collector 130 fluid at several 1000° C. while a more useful oroptimum level may be around 1000° F. at about 600 suns. The array 110and the individual panels or modules 112 are self-contained or sealed,which facilitates maintenance (e.g., simply clean and/or dust externalsurfaces periodically and the like) and when combined with the lack ofmoving parts provides a very long service life (e.g., up to 30 to 50years or more) depending on the materials (e.g., polymers) used for thepanel components (e.g., the Fresnel or other concentrating lenses). Thepanels 112 are also inexpensive to manufacture, and due to the highamounts of concentration provided (higher efficiency in concentrationand capture of energy 108) the cost of the collector 130 (e.g., theamount of PV material required) is also lower.

There is a potential that the configuration of the panels 112 and theconcentrator assemblies 118 may make many existing thermal-based solarenergy conversion systems at least partially obsolete. Unliketraditional units, the panels 112 and array 110 are generally unaffectedby wind or harsh weather as they are non-tracking (except for someembodiments) and have a much lower profile that more tolerant of highwinds. The panels 112 are highly effective at concentrating the Sun'senergy 108 onto thin lines or strips on a light receiving surface fromwhich it is captured or received by one or more light transmissionsheets, wafers, or pipes for transmission to a main or master lighttransmission sheet, wafer, or pipe with relatively low vertical heightand associated mass and without tracking. PV-based systems are alsoenhanced and the collector 130 may be a PV collector/converter as theenergy or light 124 is significantly more concentrated, which improvesthe efficiency of typical PV material thus reducing the amount and/orquality of the PV material required to achieve a particular output orsupply a particular load 150. The array 110 may be configured with anumber and size of panel 112 such that the array can run a small turbineor Sterling engine 146 for home use 150 and is also practical for use incommercial buildings and industrial power plant settings. It is highlylikely that the costs associated with fabricating, installing, andoperating the power conversion system 100 of FIG. 1 are comparable toenergy costs per kW in capital cost associated with producingelectricity with coal and less than existing thermal and PV-based solarenergy conversion systems.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective end view of a solar panel 210 of anembodiment of the invention such as may be used for the panels 112 in asolar array 110. In some embodiments, the end of the panel 210 would becovered but in the illustrated embodiment an end cap/cover is notprovided, which facilitates explanation of one arrangement of light orenergy concentrator assemblies as their components are visible at theend of the panel 210. As shown, the panel 210 includes a set of two ormore concentrator assemblies 220 with five being shown in thisimplementation. The concentrator assemblies 220 are arranged in aside-by-side or parallel manner. The panel 210 includes an upper orreceiving surface formed of the concentrating lenses 212 and optionalseparating shoulders/spacers 214 of each concentrator assembly 220. Thepanel 210 also includes two end or side walls 214, 215 that may beformed of clear or opaque material and that are typically spaced apartfrom the end concentrator assemblies 220 (e.g., not in optical contactto avoid transmitting any captured light from the initial orintermediate light transmission wafers or sheets). A lower or bottomsurface 216 further defines the panel 210, and this surface 216 may beplanar and, in some embodiments, may be a portion of a main or masterlight transmission sheet or pipe 238 that is used to combine andtransmit light or solar energy concentrated and captured by eachconcentrator assembly 220 parallel to the surface 216 (e.g., transverseto rays or light received on the upper surface of panel 210 in either orboth (concurrently in each direction in a symmetric concentratorassembly embodiment not shown in FIG. 2) the right and left directionswhen the panel 210 is viewed at the end as shown).

Now, it may be useful to explain the configuration of one embodiment ofthe concentrator assemblies 220 of the invention. As shown, eachconcentrator assembly 220 includes a light receiving element 222 thatmay be thought of as an elongate trough or basket for receiving light orsolar energy that strikes the panel 210. The light receiving element 222typically extends along the length of the panel 210 (but may be somewhatshorter in length than the panel 210) and is fabricated from a materialsuch as plastic, glass, or ceramic that is substantially transparent (orat least highly light transmissive), e.g., an elongate sheet of plasticbent or formed into an arcuate, parabolic, or other useful crosssectional shape. An upper surface of the element 222 is the lightreceiving surface while the opposite or lower surface of the element 222may be thought of as the light capture and/or transmission surface.

The particular shape of the cross section of the element 222 (or itsupper, light-receiving surface) is, in some cases, chosen to match or atleast approximate a pattern defined by focal points of a concentratinglens 212 at a range or set of incidence or acceptance angles for theSun's rays or solar energy received by the concentrator assembly 220.The concentrating lens 212 may take many forms to practice the inventionsuch as a simple arched, transparent body. More typically, though, theconcentrating lens 212 is provided as a flat Fresnel lens or, as shown,an arched Fresnel lens, with Fresnel lenses being well known in theoptical arts and within the solar energy industry. In the past, Fresnellenses were used to concentrate solar energy upon a single receiver at aparticular acceptance angle (e.g., 0 to 50 degrees or the like with 0degrees being about noon or when rays strike the module 210orthogonally), and the panel with the Fresnel lenses was moved tocarefully track the Sun's movements to focus on the receiver. Incontrast, the concentrating lens 212, which may be a flat or archedFresnel or other lens configuration, is used to focus or concentrate thelight or energy that strikes its upper surface onto areceiving/concentrating portion of the receiving surface of element 222.The receiving portion typically is relatively thin and extends thelength of the panel 210 or element 222, e.g., may take the shape of arelatively thin strip or rectangle or, in some cases, may approach aline on the element 222 when light is accurately focused on the uppersurface of element 222. During operation, then, this causes solar energyto be focused upon a plurality of such light receiving portions over thesurface of the light receiving element 222, and it may appear to be athin strip or rectangle of light that slowly moves during the day froman upper side portion of the element 222 down to the bottom or lowerportion of the trough formed by element 222 and then back up to theother upper side portion later in the day. A void space 218 is formedbetween the concentrating lens 212 and the light receiving element 222,and this is typically only filled with air or gas to limit diffusion orinterference with the light concentrated by the lens 212 from beingdirected to the receiving element 222.

To capture the concentrated light or energy, the concentrator assembly220 includes a light capture and transmission assembly 230. Thisassembly 230 includes in this embodiment a plurality or set of initiallight transmission wafers or sheets 232. These wafers or sheets 232function similar to light pipes in that light is transferred along theirlengths via TIR, and the sheets 232 are attached to the lower ortransmission surface of the light receiving element 222 to provide anoptical coupling (e.g., in optical transmission contact). In thismanner, the light that is concentrated by the lens 212 in a thin stripalong the length of light receiving element 222 is received or captured,after it is transmitted through the body of the element 222, by anoptically coupled end of one or more of the light transmission sheets232. To this end, a thickness of each of the sheets 232 may be about orsomewhat greater than a width of the focused light strip on the element222 and/or the sheets 232 may be provided in an adequate quantity andpositioned close together (or even abutting) at the coupled end nearelement 222 such that 2 or more of the sheets 232 may be used to capturelight from the lens 212. In the first example, light focused by the lens212 onto the element 222 may be captured by a single one of the sheets232 at a particular angle of incidence of solar energy and then two mayact to capture the light/energy as the Sun moves to a next position inwhich the adjacent sheet 232 captures the light/energy (e.g., a set ofone or two sheets 232 typically captures or receives the majority of theconcentrated light). In the latter example, a set of two or more sheets232 work in conjunction to capture light striking and passing throughthe light receiving element 222 as each sheet 232 is generally thinnerthan the strip of concentrated light passing through the element 222.The sets of initial light transmission sheets 232 used to capture thephotons or solar energy changes over the day as the Sun moves on itspath when the panel 210 is stationary while some embodiments may includetracking such that a single or smaller set of the sheets 232 is used tocapture the light from lens 212.

Another aspect of the panel 210 is that the solar energy or lightcaptured by each assembly 220 is combined and/or transmitted from thepanel 210 to an end or side 215 (or 214 in some cases not shown) for useby a collector or other load of solar energy (or to an adjacent panel210 that is coupled for receiving the collected solar energy). To thisend, the captured light traveling via TIR in the sheets 232 istransmitted or supplied to a master or main light transmission sheet,wafer, or pipe 238. This may be achieved with a direct coupling of thesheets 232 to the master light transmission sheet 238 such as with anoptic coupling at an acceptance or entry angle to maintain TIR such asless than about 42 degrees (as measured from a plane orthogonal to thesheet 238). As shown, though, it may be desirable to provide a pluralityof intermediate light transmission sheets 234 within the assembly 230 toconnect the sheets 232 with the master sheet or pipe 238. For example, aset of intermediate light transmission sheets 234 that are typicallymuch smaller in number than the initial sheets 232 is coupled to ends(or at another location) of the initial sheets 232 to accept theconcentrated light and transmit the light/energy, again via TIR, to themaster sheet 238.

Both the initial sheets 232 and the intermediate sheets 234 are elongatemembers generally extending the length of the panel 210 and are calledsheets because they typically may be formed of thin, light transmissiveor substantially transparent material such as a plastic, ceramic, orglass material. As explained earlier, the combination of the trough 222and the initial light transmission elements 232 is similar to a bookthat is opened to the point where the spline becomes arched and thepages spread outward about the arched spline in a spaced-apart manner,and in this visualization the spline is the element 222 and the pagesare the sheets 232. As in this example, the sheets 232 are typicallyspaced apart as shown by air or spacing gaps 236 showing that opticalcontact is avoided or minimized between the sheets 232 (and sheets 234).The number of sheets 232 may be varied to practice the invention withsome assemblies 220 containing only a few sheets 232 (such as whentracking is used or the sheets 232 are thicker) to tens to hundreds ormore. Again, it is typically preferred that most or nearly all of thelower or transmission surface of the trough or receiving element 222 isin optical contact with the sheets 232 such that a large percentage(e.g., up to 90 percent or more) of the light passing through the lens212 is captured by the transmission assembly 230.

The intermediate sheets 234 are provided to facilitate transmission ofthe captured light to the master pipe or sheet 238, e.g., to maintainTIR in the initial sheets 232 by reducing risks of overly sharp bendsand corners in the pipes or sheets 232. The master pipe or sheet 238 istypically a planar sheet of light transmissive or transparent materialsuch as plastic, glass, or ceramic that is provided over the lowersurface of the assemblies 220 (and, in some embodiments, nearly over theentire lower surface 216). The master sheet 238 receives theconcentrated light from each of the assemblies 220 via the intermediatelight transmission sheets 234, which are optically connected to theinitial sheets 232 and to the master sheet 238. The master sheet 238 mayhave a wall that provides the lower surface 216 of the panel 210 or maybe spaced apart from the surface 216 in some embodiments to limit lossof captured and concentrated solar energy or light.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a subassembly 300 of anembodiment of a light concentrator assembly (such as an assembly 112,220 of FIGS. 1 and 2). The subassembly 300 includes a concentrating lens310 extending a length, L_(panel), of a solar panel (not shown in FIG.3). In the assembly 300, the lens 310 is attached at its sides to alight receiving element, trough, or basket 320. The lens 310 is in theform of an arched Fresnel lens with an outer, flat surface 312 forreceiving incident light from the Sun or another source and an inner,rough surface 314 that projects the received incident light onto element320. The Fresnel lens may be an imaging lens or, more typically, is anon-imaging Fresnel lens with a plurality of prisms or facets 316 thatact to focus rays striking the outer, upper surface 312 onto a lightreceiving or upper surface 324 of the element 320. The lens 310 may beflat in some embodiments or arched as shown, and it is typicallyconfigured with numerous prisms 316 to focus the substantially parallelrays from the Sun or other source onto a thin strip or line extendingalong the length, L_(panel), of the assembly 300 (e.g., a focusing areathat is a thin strip or line running parallel to a longitudinal axis ofthe assembly 300). The shape and depth of the surface 324 is selectedbased on the lens 310 configuration such as to have the Fresnel lensprisms 316 focus incident rays onto a strip or elongate area that is onor proximate to the surface 324. Hence, the surface 324 may be arcuate(e.g., parabolic or the like) such that tracking is not required over arange of incidence for solar rays (e.g., over a range of 50 to −50degrees or the like the focal points/lines of the prisms 316 arecoincident (or within an acceptable tolerance/range of) the surface324). The lens 310 may be formed of plastic or other material such asglass or ceramic to transmit received light through its body. Likewise,the light receiving element 320 is typically formed of a transparent (orsubstantially so) material such as a plastic, ceramic, or glass suchthat light or energy focused on its upper or receiving surface 324 istransmitted through to a lower or transmission side 322, where it iscaptured or received by one or more light pipe, wafer, or sheet (notshown in FIG. 3).

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a lightconcentrator assembly 400 that may be used in the solar panels of theinvention such as for the assemblies 118 in panels 112 of array 110 inFIG. 1. In other words, the concentrator assembly 400 may be used aloneto concentrate light or energy, but, more typically, the assembly 400 isone of a set of such assemblies provided within a solar panel or module,which in turn may be used independently to provide concentrated energyor light or be part of a modular solar array (as discussed withreference to FIG. 1). The assembly 400 includes a concentrating lens410, an enclosure or housing 420, and a light transmission subassembly440.

The housing 420 includes a top wall or spacer surface separating thelens 410 from adjacent lenses and also providing space for thetransmission subassembly 440. The housing 420 further includes sidewalls424 that extend the length of the assembly 400 and generally enclose thetransmission subassembly 440 and, again, reduce risk of optical contactwith adjacent assemblies 400 and loss of captured light. The walls 422,424 may be formed of the same material as the lens 410 and transmissionassembly 440 components but this is not required as the walls 422, 424provide physical support and protection/enclosure functions and do notcapture or transmit light or solar energy.

The assembly 400 includes a concentrating lens 410 in the form of anarched Fresnel lens that extends the length of the assembly 400 (or atleast the length of the receiver or receiving element 430). The lens 410is arranged with a smooth receiving side or surface 412 facing outward,which facilitates cleaning of the assembly 400. An inner focusing ortransmission surface 414 includes a plurality of prisms or facets thatfunction to focus light incident upon the surface 412 across a voidspace onto a portion of the light receiving surface 423 of element 430.For example, parallel rays or solar energy from the Sun may strike thelens 410 at an incidence angle of about 20 degrees from perpendicular ornormal and be reflected onto an elongate region or strip on the surfaceextending into the paper in FIG. 4 (e.g., a strip with a width of lessthan a mil to several mils or much more depending upon the lens 410configuration). The lens 410 has a width, W_(lens), that will vary uponthe implementation (along with its amount of curvature or arch), and, inone embodiment, the width, W_(lens), is selected to from the range ofabout 0.5 to about 6 inches while in other cases a smaller or largerlens may be used (e.g., a non-residential application may use widths,W_(lens), of 6 to 12 or more inches).

The receiver or receiving element 430 extends below the lens 410 and hasa thickness, t_(receiver), that is chosen to be relatively thin (such asless than 0.25 inches and more typically several mils or less) and of aclear or substantially transparent material so as to pass light focusedon the surface 432 by lens 410 to an opposite or transmission side 434with little diffraction and/or loss. Typically, the thickness,t_(receiver), is constant throughout the element 430 but this is not arequired limitation. Also, both surfaces 432, 434 are typically smoothto enhance light acceptance and transmission. The receiver surface 432is typically arcuate with the particular shape being variable topractice the invention. In some embodiments, performance of the assembly400 is significantly enhanced by mapping or plotting focal points forthe shape and design of the particular concentrating lens 410 for adesired range of incidence angles for light or Sun's rays striking thesurface 412 of lens 410. Then, with this focal point pattern, theelement 430 can be fabricated to match or substantially match thispattern with its surface 432. In other cases, though, the shape ofsurface 432 is select based on this pattern but is not forced to matchit too closely as the assembly 400 is adapted to capture solar energy(but potentially at lower efficiency) even when the focal points are notperfectly aligned. In general, the shape of surface 432 is chosen suchthat a large percentage of the light or its rays focused by the facetsor prisms 416 strike the surface 432 at an angle that is less than about42 degrees as measured from normal with the surface 432 such that thelight can be readily captured and then transmitted as it passes throughthe element 430 and exits via transmission surface 434. The receiver 430has a depth, d_(receiver), that is, in some embodiments, less than thewidth, W_(lens), of the lens 410, which presents a lower height to widthratio and a smaller overall profile or height, H_(panel), of the panel400 (e.g., the width, W_(lens), may be 1 to 2 inches while the depth,d_(receiver), of the receiver 430 is about 0.75 to 1.5 inches over thissame range for a panel profile, H_(panel), less than 3 inches and, insome cases, less than about 1 to 1.5 inches).

To capture the concentrated light or solar energy, the transmissionsubassembly 440 includes a plurality of initial light transmissionsheets or wafers 442. These are called sheets because they each may bean elongate, thin rectangular or other shaped member formed to act as alight pipe. A relatively small number of fairly thick sheets or wafers442 are shown (e.g., to ease the difficulty of illustration), but insome embodiments many wafers 442 are provided such as up to 100, 200,300 or more such as when the perimeter about the surface 434 isrelatively large and/or the sheets 442 are relatively thin such as lessthan about 10 mils and in some cases less than 3 mils. In this regard,each sheet or light transmission element 442 is coupled to thetransmission surface 434 of the light receiver 430 at a first end 444and then extends outward from this surface to a second or distal end446. The sheets 442 are formed of a plastic or other material andtypically will be relatively thin such as a thickness, t_(wafer), lessthan 200 mils but more typically about 3 to 100 mils in thickness,t_(wafer). The optically coupled first or capture end 444 receives oraccepts photons or rays of light that strikes the opposite portion ofthe receiver element 430, and when the photons or light rays enter theend 444 at an angle of less than about 42 degrees the light is capturedby the sheet 442 and transmitted within the sheet 442 away from thereceiver 430 via TIR. In the illustrated embodiment, wafers or sheets442 are coupled at their receiving or capture ends 444 along the entiretransmission surface 434 of the receiver 430 (and opposite the entirereceiving surface 432) to capture concentrated solar energy regardlessof where it is focused by the lens 410. The ends 444 of adjacent sheets442 may be spaced apart a distance, t_(spacing), but typically thisspacing, t_(spacing), is minimal or nonexistent to allow most of thesolar energy transmitted through the lens 410 and receiver 430 to becaptured. As with the receiver 430, the thickness, t_(wafer), of thesheets 442 may be constant from end 444 to end 446 but in someembodiments the receiving or capturing end 444 may be wider than thebody and end 446 to facilitate greater photon trapping (e.g., up totwice or more the thickness, t_(wafer), at the end 444). As discussedabove, there will typically be a set of 1, 2, 3, or more sheets 442 thatwill be active in the sense that they are being used to concurrentlycapture concentrated light from lens 410 (e.g., the thickness or widthof the focusing area or strip of light upon the surface 432 will bewider than 1 or 2 or 3 etc of the sheets 442 in addition to any spacingsuch that more a set of the sheets 442 is needed to capture the photonsas they strike the surface 432 and pass through the element 430 to thesheets 442).

To facilitate transmission of the captured light, the transmissionsubassembly 440 includes a plurality of intermediate light transmissionwafers, sheets, or pipes 450 that generally are thin sheets oflight-transmissive material such as plastic that extend the length ofthe receiver 430 (or panel 400), e.g., extend into the plane of thepaper upon which FIG. 4 is drawn. The intermediate sheets 450 have afirst side 452 and second side 454 and are arranged to be in opticalcontact with the second or distal ends 446 of the initial sheets 442 toreceive or accept concentrated light transmitted through the sheets 442.To maintain TIR within the intermediate sheets 450, it is preferred thatthe initial sheets 442 abut the surface 452 at a proper coupling oracceptance angle, α, e.g., less than about 42 degrees. The light fromthe sheets 442 is than transmitted in the intermediate lighttransmission sheets 450 with TIR minimizing losses until the lightreaches the output end 456 of the sheets 450 that are optically coupledwith an upper surface 462 of a main or master light transmission sheetor light pipe 460. Again, the connection preferably maintains TIR withinthe main pipe 460 and, hence, coupling or acceptance angle, β, istypically less than about 42 degrees. The master pipe 460 typicallyextends into the paper the length of the receiver 430 (or assembly 400)and also the width, W_(receiver) assembly, of the assembly 400, with thewidth, W_(receiver assembly,)typically being somewhat larger than thewidth, W_(lens), of the lens 410 to provide spacing for the transmissionsubassembly 440 such as up to twice the width, W_(lens), or more). Themain sheet or pipe 460 is formed of a layer of optically transmissivematerial such as a transparent, or substantially so, plastic, glass, orceramic with a thickness, t_(Main Pipe), that may be the same thicknessas other elements or somewhat thicker (e.g., a range of a few mils to upto 1 inch or more) to provide structural rigidness or strength to theassembly 400 and panels with such assemblies 400. Although not shown,the pipe 460 may be isolated from other optic materials to avoid orlimit losses of light transmitted into and then through the pipe 460.Also, as discussed above, the assembly 400 may be used alone or, moretypically, will be part of a larger solar panel or module and the edgeor end one of the assemblies 400 in such a module is typically adaptedfor optical coupling to another assembly/panel (e.g., with an opticalcoupler provided at both ends of the main pipe 460 or the like).

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a light concentrator assembly500 of the present invention. The concentrator assembly 500 is shown inuse with solar energy (or photons, light, Sun's rays, or the like) 506striking a housing 508 on an upper surface 512, which includes an uppersurface of a concentrating lens 510. For example, the rays 506 mayrepresent sunlight striking the assembly 500 orthogonally, which maycoincide with noontime or another time of the day depending upon thepositioning of the assembly 500 on a roof or other installation. Theassembly 500 includes a housing 508 with top and sidewalls to supportthe lens 510 and other components (and, in some cases, to position amain or master pipe 560 apart from the lower or outer surface 562). Theview of FIG. 5 is an end view (with an optional end cap or wall removedto expose the internal components of assembly 500) and the assembly 500generally would extend into the paper a length (e.g., a panel orassembly length that is typically up to a few inches long and moretypically 9 to 18 inches or more with length often established tofacilitate manufacturing, shipping, and other design parameters) and thevarious components of the assembly 500 typically extend the length ofthe assembly 500 (or panel).

The assembly 500 differs from assembly 400 in part because it utilizes aconcentrating lens 510 that is configured as an elongate, flat Fresnellens with its flat surface 512 facing outward to receive the solarenergy 506. An inner or transmission surface 514 faces inward andincludes a set of prisms or facets 516. The prisms 516 act to focus thereceived light 506 as shown at 520 onto a relatively narrow and elongatearea (or strip, line, or the like) 536 upon a light receiving element530. The light receiving element 530 is attached at its ends to theupper wall of the housing (or to the edges of the lens 510) and extendsdownward to define an arcuate (e.g., parabolic or other curved shape)cross sectional shape with its upper or receiving surface 534 (e.g., aconcave surface facing the prisms 516). As discussed above, the shape ofthe surface 534 is typically selected based on (e.g., to coincide with)the focal points of the prisms 516 of lens 510 at various incidenceangles for the light 506. For example, during the operating conditionshown in FIG. 5, the incidence angle is about 0 degrees and the prisms516 act to focus 520 the light 506 upon a thin strip (that extends intothe paper along the length of the trough or basket-shaped element 530)536 on surface 534. The light receiving element 530 typically is formedof material that transmits light (e.g., is clear or substantiallytransparent to the light 520) through to a back or transmission surface532.

The assembly 500 also differs from the assembly 400 in that the assembly500 is only adapted for gathering light over a smaller range ofincidence angles such as −25 to 25 degrees relative to normal (or anorthogonal ray as measured from planar lens 510). This may be useful forcollecting an acceptable portion of solar energy during the day (such asa period of time about noon or the like) or the assembly 500 may be usedin a panel and array that is moved to track the Sun's movements. Suchtracking would not have to be as accurate as existing tracking systemsbecause the assembly 500 is adapted to effectively collect theconcentrated rays over a range of incidence angles rather than only at aparticular or single angle (or very tight band).

As shown, the assembly 500 includes a light capture and transmissionsubassembly 540. This subassembly 540 includes a set of initial lighttransmission sheets or wafers 542. Each of these sheets 542 is opticallycoupled to the transmission side 532 of the receiver 530 bottom of thetrough or valley of the element 530. The light sheets 542 also include aroughened surface (or surface with raised elements such as lenticules orthe like) that acts to provide a plurality of spacers to separateadjacent or neighboring sheets 542 to limit optical transmission or lossbetween the sheets 542. Numerous other spacers or separating elementsmay be used to provide some spacing between the sheets 542. At thecoupling end, there may be little or no spacing to better capture allthe rays 520 as they are focused upon the concentration area or strip536 and are transmitted through the receiver layer 530.

In the assembly 500, a single intermediate light transmission sheet orwafer 550 is provided that is coupled to all of the wafers 542 upon anupper or inlet surface 554. The coupling is preferably accomplished at adesirable acceptable angle, β, such that rays or energy 546 within theintermediate pipe or sheet 550 remain within its walls due to TIR (e.g.,an angle of less than about 42 degrees). The second surface 552 of theintermediate sheet is typically not in contact with any sheets 542 butmay optionally be supported by structural elements (not shown). An endor edge 558 of the sheet or wafer 550 is typically optically connectedto a main or master light transmission sheet, wafer, or pipe 560 such asvia upper surface 564. Again, the connection of end 558 is such thatdischarged light 570 travels within the sheet 560 with no or minimallosses (e.g., TIR results in the light remaining in the sheet 560similar to light pipe functionality). The concentrated light 580 is thenoutput to the end or edge of the master or main sheet 560 such as to acollector when the assembly 500 is used as a standalone device or whenthe assembly 500 is on the end of a panel or array while in other casesthe light 580 is injected into an adjacent assembly (with theconfiguration shown for assembly 500 or another configuration describedherein).

FIG. 6 illustrates a concentrator subassembly 600 as may be used in thelight concentrator assemblies of the invention to provide a desiredlevel of concentration on a receiver element with a trough or othershape. As shown, the subassembly 600 includes a concentrating lens 520in the form of an arched Fresnel lens with a smooth, upward/outwardfacing surface 622 and a downward/inward facing transmission surface624. The surface 624 is rough or textured with a plurality of facets orprisms 626 configured to focus incoming rays (usually substantiallyparallel rays) at varying incidence angles upon focal points (orstrips/lines) that are tightly grouped (as is common for Fresnel imagingand nonimaging lenses). As shown, the subassembly 600 also includes areceiver element or trough 640 with an arcuate (e.g., parabolic) crosssectional shape. Both the lens 620 and the element 640 have elongatebodies (extending into the plane of the paper in this view), and thelens 620 is positioned relative to the receiver element 640 such thatthe lens 620 covers most or all of the open end of the trough 640. Inother words, a longitudinal axis of the arched lens 620 is parallel (orsubstantially so) to a longitudinal axis of the receiver element 640.The receiver element 640 (as well as the lens 620) is formed of alight-transmissive to transparent material such as plastic, glass,ceramic, or the like. The receiver element 650 includes a body or wall652 with an inner facing, receiving surface 644 and an outer facing,transmission surface 646 (e.g., the surface to which a plurality oflight wafers or pipes are attached in light concentrator assemblies tocapture photons).

During operation as shown, a plurality of light rays 610 such as solarenergy strikes the exposed, outer surface 622 of the concentrating lens620 such as at about an incidence angle of about zero degrees. The rays610 have a width, w_(x), of 50 units of measure as they enter/exit thelens 620. The Fresnel prisms 626 are configured in this example, though,to focus the concentrated rays 630 onto a concentrated or receiving areaor region 650 upon the surface 644 of the receiver 640 that issignificantly smaller such as a width, w_(y), of about 1 unit of measure(with the length of the concentrated or receiving area or region 650typically being the length of the lens 620 and element 640 such as a fewinches up to several feet or more but generally not varying due to theconcentrating effect of lens 620). For example, concentration mayconcentrate rays with a width, w_(x), of 500 mils down to a strip orline at 650 with a width, w_(y), of 10 mils (or 50 mils down to 1 miland so on), and such concentration may be thought of as capturing 50suns at the region 650.

The receiver element 640 may be designed such that the cross sectionalshape of surface 644 matches, approximates, or is within an acceptablerange or proximity from the focal points such as points 650 at a rangeof incidence angles (e.g., the desired acceptance or capture range ofthe subassembly 600 to reduce or eliminate the need for tracking of theSun's movements). Generally, for an arched Fresnel lens embodiment ofthe concentrating lens 620, this will result in the surface 644 beingarcuate or parabolic in nature. The width, w_(y), of the concentratedlight region or area 650 then determines along with the size of thewafers/sheets used, the number of light transmission sheets or wafersare “active” at any time in capturing the concentrated light or energy630 (e.g., if the width, w_(y), is 5 mils and each wafer is about 1 milin thickness, 5 wafers would be in the active set to collect or captureand then transmit the rays 630). As discussed, the active set of suchwafers will change as the angle of the incoming rays 610 changestypically with one a small subset of a few of the wafers or sheets beingutilized at any particular time/incidence angle to capture and transmitconcentrated light.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to simplify the lighttransmission assembly such as by eliminating intermediate lighttransmission sheets. FIG. 7 illustrates an exposed end view (e.g., aview without an optional end cap/cover) of a solar panel or module 700with no intermediate transmission sheets or wafers. As shown, the panel700 includes 3 light concentrator assemblies 710, 712, 714 that aresimilarly configured and are enclosed or supported by end or sidewalls.The assemblies 710, 712, 714 each concentrate light that strikes anupper surface and transmit the concentrated and captured light or solarenergy to a master or main light transmission sheet or pipe 728 (e.g., athin layer or sheet of plastic or the like that extends over most or allof the bottom of the assembly 700). In this manner, the light from theassemblies 710, 712, 714 is added or combined together and then may beoutput or discharged an end as concentrated light 718 to a collector oradjacent (and optically linked) solar module or panel (with the panelsforming a solar array). Additionally, another panel (not shown) may bepositioned “upstream” of the panel 700 and optically linked so as toinject light 716 from the adjacent panel in an array from itsmain/master sheet to the master light transmission sheet or wafer 728for transmission to collector or other panel as shown at 718.

As shown with reference to assembly 710, the collector assembliesinclude a light concentrating lens 720 such as an arched Fresnel lensthat extends along the length of and over a light receiving troughelement 724. A plurality of thin sheets or wafers 726 of lighttransmissive material are positioned to be in optical contact with aback surface of the element 724. These sheets 726 may be formed, forexample but not a limitation, of a flexible thin sheets orrectangles/strips of plastic such that they can more readily be arrangedwithin the assembly 700 to contact the backside of element 724 and tothen be snaked around (without losing TIR qualities) to an opticalcontact or coupling with an upper surface of the master or main lighttransmission sheet 728.

The panel 700 is shown during operation at 3 different incidence anglesfor received light or solar energy (e.g., 3 positions of the Sunrelative to the panel 700). For example, in earlier morning hours, lightmay be incident upon the lens 720 such that light 730 is concentratedupon a strip or elongate region 732 of the light receiving surface ofthe element 724 (e.g., an incidence angle of 10 to 50 degrees measuredclockwise from normal or the like). During such operations, a first setof one or more of the sheets or wafers 726 functions to capture oraccept the concentrated light 730 and then transmit the light to themain sheet or pipe 728 for later discharge as combined, concentratedlight 718. FIG. 8 illustrates in more detail at 800 such transmission oflight to the main or master pipe 728 from the set of active lighttransmission sheets 726. As shown, captured light 805 is retained withinthe light pipes or sheets 726 by TIR. The sheets 726 are then coupledwith the upper surface of the master or main light transmission sheet orpipe 728 at an angle, β, such that the light 810 is also retained in themaster sheet 728 by TIR such that it can be transmitted within theassembly 700 and light from each assembly 710, 712, 714 can be injectedinto the pipe or sheet 728.

Nearer noon or other times, the Sun may be positioned more directly overthe panel 700, and in such a position, light 740 is concentrated by thelens 720 upon a region 742 (e.g., again a thin strip or elongate,rectangular region) extending the length of the lens 720 and receiver724. The region 742 is spaced apart from the first region 732 such asnear the bottom of the trough of element 724. At this different positionfor light 740, a differing set of the sheets 726 become the active orutilized set of sheets or wafers and act to capture or accept the light740 as it is transmitted through the element 724 to a back ortransmission surface to which the sheets 726 are in contact or otherwisepositioned for accepting the light 740. The captured photons or light isthen transmitted in these sheets 726 to the main or master pipe 728.Then, later in the day or afternoon/evening (when the incidence anglemay be 10 to 50 degrees as measured counterclockwise from normal or thelike) light 750 is concentrated by the lens 720 onto yet another regionor area 752 of the light receiving surface of the element 724. Again,this light concentration region 752 generally will appear to be arelatively thin strip of light on the element 724 with its widthdepending upon the configuration of the lens 720 and how closely thesurface of element 724 is designed to match the focal points of the lens720 (as well as other factors). Due to the new position of the region752 upon the surface of element 724, another set of the sheets 726becomes the active or utilized set that acts to capture the concentratedenergy 750 and transmit it to the main pipe 728 for discharge from thepanel 700 as light or energy 718.

FIG. 9 illustrates in view 900 a close up or detailed view of the lightconcentration or receiving region 752 for concentrated light 750. Asshown, a quantity of the concentrated light 920 enters and travelsthrough the element 724 where it is captured by the light wafers orsheets 726. These sheets 726 are attached (or optically coupled) at ends910 to the back or transmission surface of the light receiving element724. The sheets or wafers 726 have a thickness, t_(wafer), that may varyto practice the invention with relatively thin sheets being useful insome low profile panels (e.g., the wafer thickness, t_(wafer), may beless than a few mils and often less than a mil such as 0.5 mils). Thecaptured light 930 travels within the sheets 726 along its length to themain pipe, and to this end the light is thought of as “captured” when itenters the sheets or pipes 726 at an angle that facilitates TIR such asless than about 42 degrees. Some spacing, t_(spacing), is providedbetween the sheets 726 to reduce transfer of light between the sheets726 that may result in losses of captured light 930 but generally thisspacing, t_(spacing), is minimized at the point of coupling or contactat end 910 such that a larger percentage of the light 920 travelingthrough the receiver 724 and exiting the backside is captured by thesheets 726. Again, spacing between adjacent sheets 726 may be providedby a surface texturing on the sheets 726 (such as by providinglenticules or similar protruding members on a side of each of the sheets726) or by other techniques.

With the above description of exemplary embodiments of lightconcentrator assemblies in mind, it may now be useful to discuss somemodeling of such assemblies that has been performed by the inventorswith computer modeling techniques including ray tracing. The followingdiscussion also provides advantages for embodiments of the invention,various aspects and configurations that may provide useful inimplementing embodiments of the invention, and materials/ranges fordesign parameters for use in fabricating and using embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a representation 1000 of a ray tracing that wasperformed with computer modeling software for one embodiment of anarched Fresnel lens 1020. In some of the light concentrator assembliesdescribed herein, rays 1010 are first collected or received by a curvedFresnel lens 1020 used for the concentrating lens. The acceptance angle(or range of incidence angles) for the lens 1020 in the modeling wasabout 50 degrees (as measured in either direction from a normal or 0degree ray). The received rays 1010 are focused with lens 1020 toconcentrated rays 1030 at the focal points of facets of the Fresnel lens1010 at a small concentration region 1014 with a particular width,w_(focus area), which may provide a large concentration ratio such as30:1 up to 70:1 or larger. The light source 1005 such as the Sun isshown in a position to provide an incidence angle of about 0 degrees inFIG. 10.

As discussed above, a light receiving element can be designed by mappingout the various focal points or focus areas for the concentrating lens1020 over a range of incidence angles. With that in mind, FIG. 11illustrates a modeling or ray tracing of the concentrating lens 1020 ata second, different incidence angle of about 30 degrees (e.g., lightsource 1105 is positioned to provide light rays 1110 at an angle ofabout 30 degrees to the lens 1020). Note, the position of the lens 1020is held constant (e.g., no tracking in this embodiment), and the raytracing shows that the lens 1020 concentrates the received light 1110 asshown at 1130 to a plurality of focal points or focusing/concentratingregion or strip 1140. An effective or useful cross sectional shape for alight receiving surface (or trough element) can be achieved by plottinga number of these focusing regions or points and passing a line throughor near these plotted focal point sets. The light receiving surface canthen be shaped to coincide with or at least be within an acceptablerange or offset distance from such a plotted focal point pattern for thelens 1020 over a number of incidence angles (e.g., the combination ofthe receiving surface and optically connection initial lighttransmission sheets is effective in capturing a significant portion ofconcentrated light even when the receiving surface is not perfectlyaligned with the focal point pattern of the lens (or the approximationof the primary focal points) as long as a significant number of therays/photons are striking the surface at a desirable incoming angle forthe sheets to obtain TIR).

FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic end view of a collector or photon trapsubassembly 1200 in which the lens 1020 has been modeled with raytracing software or computer-based modeling tools to identify adesirable and effective light receiving element or trough 1210 for usewith the lens 1020. The element 1210 has been provided a cross sectionalshape that is substantially aligned or coinciding with a mapping orpattern of the primary focal points of the lens 1020 (or itsfacets/prisms) over a range of acceptance or incidence angles (e.g., −35to 0 to +35 degrees). The plotting in one case was performed in part bycreating ray tracings for the lens 1020 over the range of selectedincidence angles at 2 degree increments (but, of course, other smalleror larger increments may be used) and the plotted focal points were usedto construct a receiving surface shape for element 1210 that passedthrough or near many of these focal points.

As shown, for example, a first portion 1219 of the element 1210 islocated to coincide or be proximate to focal points of the lens 1020when light rays are focused from an incidence angle of about −35degrees. A second portion 1217 is positioned to coincide or be nearfocal points associated with an incidence angle of −30 degrees. Thistechnique is continued with portion 1215 coinciding with incidence ofabout −14 degrees, portion 1212 with a 0 degree incidence, portion 1214with a +14 degree incidence angle, portion 1216 with a +30 degreeincidence angle, and portion 1218 with a +35 degree incidence angle. Inpractice, the active set of initial light transmission sheets for anyparticular incidence angle or range of such angles is then the sheetspositioned behind the portion of the light receiving element 1210associated with that incoming light angle. Again, the subassembly 1200would be formed by providing a Fresnel lens with the prism or facetdesign matching (or being within an acceptable range or variation from)the configuration used in the modeling or ray tracing program andproviding a light receiving element with a receiving surface having orapproximating the cross sectional shape of element 1210. The lens 1020and the element 1210 would also be positioned in the subassembly 1200with the spacing shown or modeled and to be parallel (or longitudinalaxes of each component substantially parallel along the length of thetwo components).

In addition to the modeling of a light receiving element, the inventorshave also performed ray tracing or optical modeling of a light collectorassembly formed according to embodiments of the invention. This modelinghas shown that an active set of about 3 to 6 light sheets can be used tocapture light focused from an elongate, arched, nonimaging Fresnel lensupon a light receiving surface, and the modeling showed that suchfocused light is directed into the light sheets to obtain TIR (e.g., toallow the captured light to remain in the sheets formed of lighttransmissive to transparent material).

In use in a solar array, the light concentrating assemblies function toefficiently capture received solar energy. The Sun's rays are firstcollected by a concentrating lens such as a curved Fresnel lensextending over a light receiving trough or arcuate/curved element. Theconcentrating or Fresnel lens may be thought of as having a focuscorresponding with a sweep angle generated by the azimuth of the Sunmoving across the sky from morning to evening (e.g., east to west acrossthe sky above the in-place solar array) when the lens is placedsubstantially perpendicular to the arc of the Sun (e.g., with its bodyor a longitudinal axis extending along a north to south line). Thearray, however, may also be positioned in an east-to-west arrangement(e.g., with its axes parallel to the Sun's travel path) so that thesweep angle generated by the arched Fresnel concentrating lens in eachconcentrate assembly is defined by the change in seasons as to theheight of the Sun in the sky.

The received rays or solar energy/photons are then concentrated upon thelight receiving surface (or a region/area thereon such as a thin strip),and the concentrated rays are captured or collected by the photon trapsuch as by passing through the light receiving element into adjacent,proximate light transmission sheets. In other words, the “photon trap”is made up in part by a series of fiber optic wafers or sheets that areangled as part of their optic coupling to the back or transmission sideof the light receiving element so as to collect the pre-focused rays (orconcentrated rays from the concentrating lens) via a set of activewafers or sheets. The wafers or sheets are angled in such a way that theacceptance angles match the incoming ray angles, whereby the collectedrays are controlled or retained with little or no ray escape or loss.For example, the focused rays enter the ends of the sheets or wafers atangles not exceeding 42 degrees as measured as the angle between normaland a tracing of the ray as it contacts a sidewall or exterior surfaceof the sheet or wafer.

The light collection assembly or photon trap, with its individual fiberoptic wafers or sheets, is designed to collect incoming rays from theconcentrating lens over the sweep angle provided by the arched Fresnelor other concentrating lens. Then, the captured light is bent and/ormoved along the sheets or wafers (or “active set”) toward the masterfiber optic wafer or sheet by working with the specific angles createdby the concentrating lens (or Fresnel lens in some cases) as a result ofthe Sun or other light source and the ray angles created by the lens.The rays are focused or directed through the sheets or wafers to themaster light wafer or sheet at angles that allow the captured,concentrated light to enter the master light wafer or sheet atacceptable angles (e.g., angles that provide TIR within the master lightwafer) to provide light transmission in the master light wafer to acollector or to an adjacent and optically linked solar panel.

In many embodiments, regardless of the sweep angle created by the curvedFresnel lens or other concentrating lens (and the position of the Sun orlight source), the concentrated rays are directed into the trap orreceiving element and to the individual wafers or sheets at acceptanceangles to the approximate focal points of the Fresnel lens, whichcoincide or approximate the location of the light receiving surface andlight transmission sheets or wafers. The captured rays are then gentlycurved in the selected or active light wafers or sheets (e.g., the setor portion of the trap or concentrator assembly utilized based on theazimuth of the Sun and the incoming angle) toward the master lighttransmission wafer or sheet. In some embodiments, a significantconcentration ratio is provided from the lens to the capture location orconcentrating/focus region on the light receiving surface such as up toabout 30 to about 50 times or more, with only a subset of the lighttransmission sheets or wafers being used or active at any particulartime/incidence angle (but, rather than a single receiver requiringtracking a plurality of available light transmission sheets are providedsuch that, in some embodiments, the concentrated light is effectivelycaptured regardless of where it strikes the light receiving surface).

The thickness or height of the light collector assemblies and panelscontaining the assemblies may vary widely to practice the invention suchas from less than 0.5 inches to over 3 feet. Some embodiments intendedfor residential building roof mounting and other lower profileapplications are about 3 inches in thickness or height, which takes intoaccount anticipated difficulties or issues with tooling of Fresnellenses for the concentrating lens and the light transmission subassemblywith the numerous, thin light transmission sheets or wafers attached tothe light receiving element.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with a certaindegree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosurehas been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in thecombination and arrangement of parts can be resorted to by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,as hereinafter claimed. For example, while much of the above discussionhighlighted use of a flat or arched Fresnel lens, the concentrating lensmay take other forms to practice the invention, which may be useful whenit is acceptable to have lower efficiencies and potentially lessforgiving acceptance angles resulting in more cosine fall off thandevices with Fresnel lenses used for the concentrating lenses. Forexample, non-Fresnel designs may not be as efficient because of the lackof focused rays provided directly into the sheets or wafers, and suchdesigns may be less effective at self-correction/tracking but performrelatively well within particular ranges of incoming angles.

One aspect of the invention is the use of fiber optic technology and theleap into creating fiber optic wafers, which provides substantial energytransfer ability. After the light enters the wafer, the concentrated andcaptured light can bounce around thousands of time without real losswhile light channels made with mirrored surfaces lose 4% at everyreflection against the mirror such that a light chamber loses most ofits energy by bouncing the energy off the walls of the mirrors, but thisis not the case with the light concentrator assemblies and solar panelsof the invention in which losses of less than about 10 percent (asmeasured from the total light/energy contacting the concentratinglenses). Another benefit of the present embodiments of the invention isthat since no or little energy is lost, there is no or little thermaltemperature rise in the light wafer. The inventors believe that thisinvention is truly revolutionary in part because the design of the lightcapture and transmission features allows the light sheets, concentratorassemblies, and solar panels to “link” to each other even if they aretilted individually, thereby allowing the combination any number of Sunsor amounts of solar energy, which can then be provided to a collector ora load. Such scalability and modularity is not provided by devices usingmirrors or traditional technology. This invention also facilitates lowmaintenance scaling of the units potentially to create any desiredtemperature up to the theoretical temperature of the surface of the Sunat the collector, and embodiments of the invention may be used toobsolete/replace or supplement light trough collectors, light towers,mirror towers and other thermal devices, while allowing nearly 100% ofthe PV rays to be collected and used as well.

At a desired point adjacent a master or main sheet or wafer of a panel,a collector may be placed at the end of the device (e.g., a solarthermal collector with an appropriately matched/selected diameter). Thecollector could be strictly PV material but would collect virtually allof the wavelengths available if it were used for the collection ofthermal rays as well. The collector design may follow a more traditionalparabolic design with the collector diameter determined by the width ofthe device. In order to “scale” the device, one way to manufacture thedevice may be to create solar “panels” or modules much the waytraditional PV panels are sized and created. The difference in thisdevice is that a target amount of energy to drive a Sterling engine orturbine may be targeted for designing a modular or scalable array ofpanels or modules with light concentrator assemblies as describedherein. The devices or panels may be put together in both directions andcover any desired surface into a larger solar array, with the panelsoften mounting or connecting/linking together in both directions toallow light to be transmitted from the master or main sheets or wafersof each to an adjoining panel or module. The target energy or number ofSuns output to the collector may be calculated by the following formula:length times width of collection area of the solar array as compared tothe collector length times Pi. In order to generate steam and use thefull energy created by the device, a computation allowing about 600 to1000 Suns can achieve those goals and also allow PV materials to operateat higher efficiencies. The device also has such a wide acceptance angle(over 70 degrees) that it is several times more efficient thantraditional PV collectors (e.g., conventional flat and non-trackingdevices). Other advantages of the panels and arrays are that the lightconcentrator assemblies are sealed, the concentrator assemblies andpanels (and arrays with the panels) have no moving parts and may be“snapped on” wherever the device ends (in some embodiments). Every unitmay be designed to be modular and identical, and either may “snap”together with the next unit or have the collector unit “snap” intoplace. The panels and arrays of such panels are designed to have a longservice life (e.g., to last virtually forever—sealed (e.g., with endcovers and the like) with lasting materials (metal, glass, acrylic,steel, aluminum, recycled tires, and/or the like). As technologyimproves for collectors (including PV materials), the collector ofconversions systems itself may be easily and inexpensively replaced. Thepanels and arrays of such panels may essentially be maintenance free,with cleaning and/or dusting performed occasionally to enhanceeffectiveness. It is anticipated based on modeling efforts of theinventors that on average with a 600 Sun target, an array of solarpanels as described herein will be able to generate an average of about100 Watts to about 450 Watts from thermal energy after converting theenergy in a Sterling engine or turbine of a conversion system. The totalof about 450 Watts is from a total available 1000 Watts per square meterat sea level, making the device by a highly efficient energygeneration/conversion in the renewable energy market or industry.

As discussed with regard to FIG. 1, the solar array 110 may beconfigured to be modular such that each panel 112 may be optically fittogether with or linked to adjacent ones of the panels 112 (and,particularly, to those along their output edges for the collectedlight). Such modularity and linking of the panels may be performed innumerous ways to practice the invention. FIG. 13 provides one usefulexample showing an exploded end view of a pair of solar panels 112 of anarray. Each solar module or panel 110 includes a light collectorassembly as discussed throughout this description and these function tocollect and transmit light into a master or main light transmissionsheet or wafer 1310 (with the collected light shown at 122 travelingtransversely or laterally within the panel 112). The panel 112 mayfurther include a bottom layer or base 1320 such that the master waferor sheet 1310 is sandwiched between the base 1320 and the body of thepanel 112 (or additional portions of the light collector assemblies).

On each end or side 114 of the panel 112, a connection groove or recess1312, 1314 is provided, and this recessed surface 1312, 1314 extends thelength of the panel 112 and has a depth, d_(recess), chosen to supportmechanical coupling and a height, H_(recess), that typicallysubstantially matches the thickness of the master or main wafer or sheet1310. To fit 2 of the panels, a connector 1330 may be provided thatincludes a body 1332 as well as an optical connector or planar member1334. The connector 1330 preferably has a length matching the length ofthe panels 112 and the optical connector 1334 extends the length of thebody 1332 with two protruding members 1336, 1337 for mating with groovesor recesses 1312, 1314 of two adjacent panels 112 (e.g., with a heightor thickness that is selected to provide a tight or even interferencefit with the recesses 1312, 1314 and a depth of at least about thedepth, d_(recess), of the recess 1312, 1314). When fit together as shownby arrows 1351, 1352, an optical link is provided such that thecollected light 122 from a first panel 112 is able to travel through theconnector 1334 to a next panel 112. Additional couplings (not shown) maybe provided on the sides or ends of the panels 112 that are not used topass collected light (such as on the short ends of the panels 112 orsides transverse to the longitudinal axes of the light receivingelements and arched Fresnel lenses), and these couplings may also tongueand groove (male/female) type fittings but no optical connection isrequired at these edges/sides of the panels as the light travels out ofthe panels via the other two sides.

A similar connection may be provided between the “last” or ends panels112 of the array 110 and the collector 130. One exemplary connectiontechnique is shown in FIG. 14. As shown, a pair of solar panels 112 areconnected together via a connector 1330 such that a planar main lightsheet or wafer is provided for the collected light 122 via the masterwafers 1330 of each panel 112 combined with the optical connector 1334.Instead of an additional panel 112, a solar collector 130 is opticallycoupled to the panel 112 at its recess or coupling groove 1314. This maybe achieved by providing a collector with a housing or body 1410 thatincludes an optical coupling member 1412 that is sized for receipt orinsertion into the groove or recess 1314 of the panels 112 and isfabricated of optically transmissive materials (e.g., plastic, glass,ceramic, or the like with the coupler 1412 often formed of the samematerial as the master wafers or sheets 1330 of panels 112). The solarcollector 1410 may include piping or tubing 1414 (which may also beformed of a material that transmits light to allow at least thermalenergy to reach the internal cavities of the pipe 1414) for routing orpumping a fluid such as glycol or water 1418 through the body 1410 to beexposed to the collected solar energy 122 via optical coupling 1412 thatabuts the piping or tubing sidewall 1414 (or otherwise directs light 122so as to convert thermal energy to the fluid 1418). In some cases, thecollector 130 may also include PV material on the outer surface of thepipe 1414 such as at the edge of the optical coupling 1412 or PVmaterial may be used solely with no fluid 1418 being utilized in thecollector 130 (e.g., a PV collector rather than a combination thermal/PVcollector). Again, additional coupling devices may be provided toincrease the rigidity and physical robustness of the combination of thearray 110 and the collector 130, and, in some cases, the array 110 ismounted onto tracking mechanisms that act to pivot or move the array 110to track the movement of the Sun, which may require additional couplingor mounting components to attach the array 110 to the trackingequipment.

It may be useful at this point to provide specific examples of onemodeled, light collector assembly providing the dimensions used in themodeling. These dimensions are not intended to be limiting but toprovide values that fall within useful ranges for a concentratorassembly such as the assembly 400 of FIG. 4. In one modeling exercise(e.g., the ray tracing and light receiving surface defining of FIGS.10-12), a plastic curved Fresnel lens was used for the concentratinglens and had a width of 2 inches and a thickness of 0.125 inches. Thedistance from the top of the curved Fresnel lens to the bottom of thebasket or trough element (e.g., the light receiving surface at thebottom of the valley as the light receiving element is thin such as lessthat about 100 mils and, in some cases, less than 10 mils) was about 2.5inches, and the total assembly thickness (or height of a panel with suchassemblies) was about 3.5 inches including the wafers or sheets from thetop of the lens to the bottom of the casing for the assembly or panel.The receiver or light receiving element had a “diameter” of about 0.25inches and a length (e.g., panel length) of about 36 inches.

The first or initial light transmission sheets or wafers each had athickness of 10 mils while the intermediate or second light transmissionsheets or wafers each had a thickness of 100 mils. The main or masterlight transmission sheet or wafer was provided with a thickness of 0.25inches. Hence, the actual focus of the wafer may be thought of as 0.25inches times 36 inches or 9 square inches in this example (e.g.,representative of a line on the cylindrical collector element equal tothe width of the master wafer). The total length of the surface area ofthe light receiving surface of the trough or light receiving element(e.g., when laid flat or measured from edge to edge transverse to alongitudinal axis of the element) was 4.625 inches, and, with the giventhickness of the initial light transmission sheets and with little or noseparation at their optical coupling point on the back side of the lightreceiving surface, the total number of wafers or sheets used to coverthis surface area is about (or some number less than to account for someseparation) is about 462. During operation, the first or initial lighttransmission sheets or wafers channel the light into intermediatewafers, which may have a total of about 6 inches of area/width availablefor optical connectivity (e.g., width of intermediate wafers in someembodiments). The total width of the intermediate wafers less the totallength of the basket or trough light receiving element equals a totalarea available for the gaps or spaces in the photon trap to limitoptical contact between wafers/sheets (e.g., 6 minus 4.625 or 1.3175inches in this modeled example). The number of gaps or spaces, ofcourse, equals the number of initial or first light transmission sheetsor wafers divided by 2 or, in this example, 462 divided by 2 or 231 gapsor spaces in the concentrator assembly. The width or thickness of thesegaps is then determined by the available space divided by this number or1.3175 inches divided by 231 or 0.0059 inches (or about 5.9 mils).

Again, these are only exemplary values that may be used in oneimplementation of a collector assembly of the invention with relativelylarge variations being acceptable—and sometimes preferred or moreuseful—in other implementations of the invention. For example, a Fresnellens with a smaller or larger width and thickness may be utilized toimplement a collector or concentrator (e.g., a width of several mils upto 12 inches or more and a thickness of several mils up to severalinches or more). The specific configuration of the Fresnel orconcentrating lens will dictate or define the separation of the top ofthe lens to the bottom of the light receiving surface as well as theshape of this light receiving surface. The thickness and number of thelight transmission sheets or wafers may, of course, also be varied suchas using first or initial light transmission wafers or sheets of lessthan 1 mil up to 100 mils or more (with 10 mils being just one examplein this range), using second or intermediate light transmission wafersof several mils up to 300 mils or more (again, with 100 mils just beingone example within such a useful range), and using a master wafer orsheet of less than about 0.125 inches up to 1 inch or more (with 0.25inches being one useful value in this range). Once the configuration ofthe light receiving surface (or trough/basket element) and thicknessesof the wafers are selected, the number can be chosen to provide desiredcollection and transmission of the concentrated light landing on thetrough surface (e.g., with little or no separation at the light couplingend of the initial light transmission sheets).

A solar array such as array 110 may be modeled or formed with solarpanels containing the light collector assemblies defined or modeled inthe preceding discussion. For example, the solar array may be a modulararray with 30 of the solar panels or modules that each contain a set oflight collector assemblies. The panel or module size may be set at 36inches in length and width at 24 inches, with the Fresnel lens directionbeing in the length direction (e.g., the longitudinal axes of the lensesand the panel being parallel). Each panel or module would then have asurface area of 864 square inches such that the overall surface area ofthe 30-panel solar array would be 25,920 square inches or 180 squarefeet or 59.4 square meters (i.e., 30 panels times 864 square inches perpanel). During use for power generation, the maximum wattage availablefrom the Sun at sea level may be taken to be about 1000 watts (or 1 KW).

All or a significant portion of the code or pseudocode used by theinventors in modeling and/or designing the concentrator or collectorassemblies of the invention is provided in a program listing after thisdetailed description, and it is believed that this code/program listingwill be useful to those skilled in the art in selecting a concentratinglens configuration, creating a light receiving surface, and choosingarrangements of light transmission wafers as well as modeling theparticular concentrator assemblies to verify light concentration,collection, and transmission in such assemblies. In the computermodeling of the light concentration or collector assemblies, theinventors have been determined that up to about 92 percent of the Sun'srays that are received on the surface of the panels (or surface of theFresnel lenses) are captured and transmitted through the transmissionsheets or wafers to the panel's or the solar array's outlet (e.g., tothe collector for conversion to another useful form of energy). Hence,it is believed to be reasonable to assume up to about 90 percentefficiencies at peak hours (which minimizes cosine fall off) for a solararray fabricated with solar panels or modules of an embodiment of theinvention. During use, then, a solar array with receiving surface areaof about 59.4 square meters will be able to produce about 53.460 KW atthe collector from the concentrated and captured solar energy (i.e.,59.4 square meters multiplied by 1 KW multiplied by 0.9 to take intoaccount efficiencies).

Power conversions can be estimated for a solar conversion system such asshown in FIG. 1, but it should be remembered that such estimates willvary widely depending on the underlying assumptions regarding theconversion efficiencies of the various components (with suchefficiencies not being limiting of the invention and an important factorsimply being the large improvement in the amount of solar energy thatcan be effectively delivered to the solar collector for conversion). Itis anticipated that up to about 25 percent of the concentrated,captured, and transmitted solar energy can be converted to directcurrent (DC) electrical power using a PV-based collector or converter(e.g., 53.460 KW multiplied by 0.25 or 13.36 KW of DC power, which maybe further converted to AC power using an inverter or the like). In acombination PV/thermal collector system, the remaining solar energy(53.460-13.36 or 40.10 KW) may be used by a thermal collector directlyas heat for buildings or a heat exchanger by using this energy to heat afluid such as water or the thermal energy may be further converted by aSterling engine or the like into electricity (e.g., up to about 45percent or more of the thermal energy may be converted to AC power by aSterling engine or process).

Other parameters that may be considered in evaluating the usefulness oreffectiveness of a solar panel with the described concentratorassemblies is that the number of suns for fluid dynamics calculations isdetermined by the following equation/calculation: the total surface areaof 25,920 square inches divided by the collector surface area of 28.6square inches multiplied by the efficiency of 90 percent for a result ofabout 816 suns. The actual focus of the master wafer or sheet istypically considered as being against the collector surface and limitedto one side of the “cylinder.” Hence, the actual surface area for thisexample may be taken as equal to 0.25 inches multiplied by 36 inches orabout 9 square inches, and the number of suns can then be determined byfirst dividing 25,920 square inches by 9 square inches and thenmultiplying this result of 2,880 by 0.9 (or 90 percent) to produce theresult of 2,592 suns.

It may also be useful to provide a general operational flow descriptionof an implementation of solar array such as array 110 in a conversionsystem such as system 100 of the invention so as to provide furtherunderstanding to the usefulness and advantages of the concentratortechnologies described herein. Sunlight comes into the Fresnel or otherconcentrating lens in each concentrator assembly and is focused straightdown at noon (or near this time of day or overhead position of the Sun)with proper positioning of the solar array. The sunlight is focused bythe lens into the first or initial light transmission wafers or sheets(or, more accurately, a small subset of such sheets at their opticallycoupled ends that may be about 10 mils thick). The captured,concentrated light is then transferred into the intermediate lighttransmission sheets or wafers (which may be about 100 mils thick) via anupper surface optically coupled to the initial light transmission sheetsor wafers at acceptance angles of less than about 42 degrees. The lightthen moves into the master or main light transmission wafer or sheet(which may be about 0.25 inches thick) again at an acceptance angle ofless than about 42 degrees such that light transmission physicsincluding TIR continues to apply to the concentrated and capturedsunlight. The sunlight is then joined or combined with the concentratedand captured from an adjacent or next concentrating lens and lightreceiving element or photon trap (e.g., the next concentrating assemblyof the panel) as the light is moved or transmitted from one end to theother end of the panel for discharge at an end or edge of the mastersheet or wafer (or out both ends concurrently in embodiments where thetransmission sheets are arranged symmetrically or in other arrangementsto transfer collected sunlight in opposite directions to the master ormain sheet or wafer).

In some embodiments of the solar panels, there are 12 concentratorassemblies (e.g., 12 Fresnel lens and photon trap pairs) in each panelor module with each being about 2 inches wide (e.g., the panel has awidth of 24 inches). The light moving through the master or main sheetor wafer continues in a transverse direction (e.g., transverse to alongitudinal axis of the light receiving element) to the next panel andson such that the solar panels (e.g., 30 panels) are optically linkedtogether in the solar array, with each panel or module in one embodimentbeing 24 inches wide and 36 inches long. The light and energy continuesto build in magnitude or accumulate in energy amounts as it approachesan end or edge of the solar array where a subset of the 30 panels ormodules abuts or is proximate to a collector unit (that itself may bemodular and/or connected in a detachable manner to the array). Thecollector unit may include a collector tube (e.g., a high temperatureglass tube or the like) filled with a liquid such as glycol, water, orother fluid. The outside of the collector tube may be coated with hightemperature resistant PV material to absorb the PV rays or rays fallingin a particular range of wavelengths convertible or absorbed by PVmaterial. Fluid is circulated through the collector at an appropriatevolumetric rate to generate steam for a turbine or Sterling engine (orto heat the fluid as desired for use as a heated fluid in a thermalload). The PV-generated DC power may be fed to an inverter to conversionto AC power while the AC power from the Sterling engine may be fed to ahome, business, power plant, and/or provided to a power grid or otherend use/load.

Program Listing or Subroutine for Light Concentrator Assembly with LightTransmission Wafers or Sheets

-   Sub Generate_Wafers( ) ‘This subroutine generates wafers that feed    into intermediate wafers. Wafers are generated from the locus of    focal points from a Fresnel “basket” parallel to focal lines and    then into a circle that is tangent to the walls of the intermediate    collector.’-   Dim intlineflag As Boolean-   Dim i, j, k, n, ntype As Integer-   Dim angle, anglestart, anglestop, de1, del1, del2, anglestep,    radiusbasket, xcenterbasket, ycenterbasket As Double-   Dim e1x, e1y, e2x, e2y, e3x, e3y, x1, y1, x2, y2, phi, xx, yy As    Double-   Dim s1, s2, s3, s4, tol1 As Double-   tol1=0.01′ gap to box bottom-   ‘Use top of Fresnel as radius center and focal length of radius of    basket.-   ‘The starting point of the straight portion of wafer is at the    radius and is parallel to basket radius.-   ‘Pick the first arched fresnel that is in use.-   For i=1 To NumberArchedFresnelLenses

If UseArchedFresnel(i)=True Then

-   -   xcenterbasket=XArchedFresnelCenter(i)    -   ycenterbasket=YArchedFresnelCenter(i)′−ArchedFresnelConjugateFacet(i)    -   radiusbasket =BasketRadius(i)

End If

-   Next i-   ‘anglestep=−10#*DegToRadian-   i=1-   ‘angle measured between vertical axis and basket surface-   If radiusbasket=0 Then

MsgBox (“Wafer selected has basket radius of zero”)

Exit Sub

-   End If-   anglestep=−2#*Atn((ThicknessWafer(i)+SpaceWafer(i))/(2#*radiusbasket))‘thickness+space    of wafers-   del1=anglestep*SpaceWafer(i)/(ThicknessWafer(i)+SpaceWafer(i))    ‘gives the space between wafers-   del2=anglestep−del1‘get the step needed to produce the desired    thickness-   n=0-   For angle=55#*DegToRadian To 25#*DegToRadian Step anglestep ‘adjust    range for section of basket-   For ntype=1 To 2 ‘(upper and lower part of wafer

If ntype=1 Then

-   -   de1=0#    -   n=n+1    -   RWafer(ntype, i)=RWafer(3, i) ‘adjust, if necessary, by        thickness for concentric circles

End If

If ntype=2 Then

-   -   de1=del2    -   RWafer(ntype, i)=RWafer(3, i)

End If

XWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=xcenterbasket+radiusbasket*Sin(angle+de1)

YWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=ycenterbasket−radiusbasket*Cos(angle+de1)

x1=XWaferStart(ntype, i, n)

y1=YWaferStart(ntype, i, n)

e1x=Sin(angle+de1) ‘direction cosines of wafer

e1y=−Cos(angle+de1)

‘Starting point of intermediate wafer for right side intermediateintersection

x2=XCenterWaferIntermediate(11)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(11)/2#

y2=YBottomWaferIntermediate(11)

e2x=0# ‘direction cosines of intermediate wafer with tilted possibilityin some other embodiments

e2y=1#

‘intersection point of wafer and intermediate wafer

Call intlines(x1, y1, x2, y2, e1x, e1y, e2x, e2y, xx, yy, intlineflag)

If intlineflag=False Then

-   -   MsgBox (“No intersection of wafer and intermediate RIGHT wafer        in Generate_Wafers”)

End If

‘Angle between wafer and intermediate wafer

s1=(e1x*e2x+e1y*e2y)

phi=Pi+Atn(Sqr(1#−s1̂2)/s1) ‘inverse cosine of dot product but largerthan 90 degrees

s2=RWafer(ntype, i)/Tan(phi/2#) ‘+Pi/2# ‘distance of circle tangentpoints from intersection of wafer and intermediate wafer

XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)=xx−e1x*s2

YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)=yy−e1y*s2

XWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)

YWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)

XCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)=xx−e2x*s2

YCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)=yy−e2y*s2

‘Circle center

e3x=e1y

e3y=−e1x

XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)+RWafer(ntype,i)*e3x

YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)+RWafer(ntype,i)*e3y

‘- - - - - -

‘Circle start and stop angles

s1=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)−XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

s2=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)−YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

If s1=0 Then

-   -   anglestart=Pi/2#

Else

-   -   anglestart=Atn(s2/s1)

End If

s1=XCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)−XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

s2=YCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)−YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

If s1=0 Then

-   -   anglestop=Pi/2#

Else

-   -   anglestop=Atn(s2/s1)

End If

‘Calculate the straight line segments of the circles

-   -   Call Calculate_Circle_Wafer_Segments(ntype, anglestart,        anglestop, i, n)

Next ntype

NumberWafers(i)=n

NumberWaferArcs(i)=n

-   Next angle-   ‘Now calculate the intermediate wafer pieces between the openings    (all the segments together for tracing and plotting).-   i=11-   k=1-   XWaferStart(1, i,    k)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#-   YWaferStart(1, i, k)=YTopWaferIntermediate(i)-   XWaferEnd(1, i,    k)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#-   YWaferEnd(1, i, k)=YCircleEnd(1, 1, 1)-   For j=1 To (n−1)

k=k+1

XWaferStart(1, i,k)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#

YWaferStart(1, i, k)=YCircleEnd(2, 1, j)

XWaferEnd(1, i,k)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#

YWaferEnd(1, i, k)=YCircleEnd(1, 1, (j+1))

-   Next j-   NumberWafers(i)=k-   ‘* * * * * * *-   ‘Bottom of intermediate wafer and circle connection to horizontal    main wafer make a simple right angle turn of the desired radius.-   ‘First make the radii concentric-   ‘Note index 3 used for saved radii (may save some variables by    including this calculation in the below calculation).-   RWafer(1, i)=RWafer(3, i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#-   RWafer(2, i)=RWafer(3, i)+ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#-   ‘The center of the radii are-   ‘Note, index 1 is for smaller radius, 2 for larger radius-   XCircleCenterWaferIntermediate(1,i)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)+ThicknessWaferIntermediate    (i)+RWafer(1, i)-   YCircleCenterWaferIntermediate(1,    i)=2#*ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)+RWafer(1, i)+tol1 ‘Wafer is    assumed to lie on bottom of box-   XCircleCenterWaferIntermediate(2,i)=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)+ThicknessWaferIntermediate    (i)+RWafer(2, i)-   YCircleCenterWaferIntermediate(2,    i)=2#*ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)+RWafer(2, i)+tol1 ‘Wafer is    assumed to lie on bottom of box-   ‘Get intersections of circles with intermediate wafers-   n=0-   For ntype=1 To 2 ‘Here ntype refers to small or large radii or one    side vs. the other side of the intermediate wafer

If ntype=1 Then

-   -   n=n+1    -   x1=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)+ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#    -   y1=YTopWaferIntermediate(i)    -   e1x=0# ‘for perpendicular intermediate wafer    -   e1y=1#    -   x2=HorizontalPositionWaferIntermediate(i)    -   y2=ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)+tol1    -   e2x=1#    -   e2y=0#    -   RWafer(ntype, i)=RWafer(3, i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)

Else

-   -   x1=XCenterWaferIntermediate(i)−ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)/2#    -   y1=YTopWaferIntermediate(i)    -   e1x=0# ‘for perpendicular intermediate wafer    -   e1y=1#    -   x2=HorizontalPositionWaferIntermediate(12)    -   y2=tol1 ‘Just off the floor of the box    -   e2x=1#    -   e2y=0#    -   RWafer(ntype, i)=RWafer(3, i)+ThicknessWaferIntermediate(i)

End If

‘Intersection point of intermediate wafers

Call intlines(x1, y1, x2, y2, e1x, e1y, e2x, e2y, xx, yy, intlineflag)

If intlineflag=False Then

-   -   MsgBox (“No intersection of intermediate wafers in        Generate_Wafers”)

End If

‘Agle between intermediate wafers

s1=(e1x*e2x+e1y*e2y)

-   -   If s1=0 Then    -   phi=Pi/2#

Else

-   -   phi=Pi+Atn(Sqr(1#−s1̂2)/s1)’ inverse cosine of dot product but        larger than 90 degrees

End If

s2=RWafer(ntype, i)/Tan(phi/2#)+Pi/2# ‘distance of circle tangent pointsfrom intersection of wafer and intermediate wafer

XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)=xx−e1x*s2

YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)=yy+e1y*s2 ‘watch for sign to determinedirection of circle center.

‘XWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)

‘YWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)

XCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)=xx+e2x*s2

YCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)=yy−e2y*s2

e3x=e1y

e3y=−e1x

XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)+RWafer(ntype,i)*e3x

YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)+RWafer(ntype,i)*e3y

‘- - - - - -

‘Circle start and stop angles

s1=XCircleStart(ntype, i, n)−XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

s2=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)−YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

‘s1=inversesine(0.8)

s3=Sin(s1)

s3=Sqr(s1̂2+s2̂2)

s4=s2/s3 ‘This is the sine of the angle

anglestart=inversesine(s4)

If s0<0# Then

-   -   anglestart=anglestart−Pi

End If

‘If s1=0 Then

‘anglestart=Pi/2#

‘Else

‘anglestart=Atn(s2/s1)

‘End If

s1=XCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)−XCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

s2=YCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)−YCircleCenterWaferR(ntype, i, n)

s3=Sqr(s1̂2+s2̂2)

s4=s2/s3

anglestop=inversesine(s4)

If s1<0# Then

-   -   anglestart=anglestart−Pi/2#

End If

‘If s1=0 Then

‘anglestop=Pi/2#

‘Else

‘anglestop=Atn(s2/s1)

‘End If

‘Calculate the straight line segments

Call Calculate_Circle_Wafer_Segments(ntype, anglestart, anglestop, i, n)

‘Define intermediate vertical wafer

‘If ntype=1 Then

‘XWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=x1

‘YWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=y1

‘XWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=x1

‘YWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=YCircleStart(ntype, i, n)

‘End If

‘If ntype=2 Then

‘XWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=x2

‘YWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=y2

‘For j =1 ToNumberWafers(1)

‘n=n+1

‘XWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=XCircleEnd(ntype, 1, n)

‘Next j

‘End If

‘n=n+1

‘Define intermediate horizontal wafer

‘XWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=XCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)

‘YWaferStart(ntype, i, n)=YCircleEnd(ntype, i, n)

‘XWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=HorizontalPositionWaferIntermediate(i)

‘YWaferEnd(ntype, i, n)=y2

‘NumberWafers(i)=n

NumberWaferArcs(i)=n

-   Next ntype

DesignWafers=True

-   End Sub

1. A panel for concentrating and collecting solar energy, comprising: aplurality of light collector assemblies positioned side-by-side; each ofthe light collector assemblies comprising: a receiver element with anelongate body and a light receiving surface with a curved crosssectional shape; an elongate concentrating lens extending over thereceiver element body focusing incident light onto the light receivingsurface in a strip extending along a length of the light receivingsurface; and a plurality of light transmission sheets extending alongthe receiver element body with an edge optically connected to thereceiver element body on a surface opposite the light receiving surface,wherein a set of one or more of the light transmission sheets receivesand transmits at least a portion of the light focused in the strip bythe concentrating lens.
 2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the strip ofthe focused light has a plurality of differing positions on the lightreceiving surface corresponding to a plurality of incidence angles forthe incident light.
 3. The panel of claim 2, wherein the set of one ormore of the light transmission sheets receiving and transmitting thefocused light includes differing ones of the light transmission sheetsat least for at least some of the differing positions for the strip ofthe focused light.
 4. The panel of claim 2, wherein concentrating lenscomprises an arched Fresnel lens.
 5. The panel of claim 4, wherein thecurved shape of the light receiving surface is configured such that atleast portions of the light receiving surface are proximate to a set offocal points for the Fresnel lens at differing angles of incidence forthe incident light.
 6. The panel of claim 5, wherein the curved shape ofthe light receiving surface is substantially coincident with locationsof the set of focal points for the Fresnel lens.
 7. The panel of claim1, wherein the receiver element and the light transmission sheetscomprise a material that transmits light, the material selected from thegroup consisting of a plastic, a glass, and a ceramic.
 8. The panel ofclaim 7, wherein the portion of light received by the set of lighttransmission sheets is received at angles to cause total internalreflection within the light transmission sheets of the set, whereby theportion of light received is transmitted along the set of lighttransmission sheets.
 9. The panel of claim 8, further comprising amaster light transmission sheet formed of a light transmissive materialspaced apart from the receiver elements of the light collectorassemblies, wherein in each light collector assembly a second edge ofthe light transmission sheets opposite the edge optically connected tothe receiver element body is optically connected to a surface of themaster light transmission sheet, whereby the portion of the lightfocused in the strip by the concentrating lens of each of the lightcollector assemblies is provided to the master light transmission sheetfor transmission through the panel.
 10. The panel of claim 9, furthercomprising, in each light collector assembly, a plurality ofintermediate light transmission sheets formed of light transmissivematerial positioned in optical contact with the second edges of thelight transmission sheets and with the surface of the master lighttransmission sheet to transmit the at least a portion of the lightfocused in the strip by the concentrating lens between the lighttransmission sheets and the master light transmission sheet via totalinternal reflection.
 11. The panel of claim 1, wherein the lighttransmission sheets have a thickness in the range of about 0.5 mils toabout 2 inches and the edges connected to the receiver element body arespaced apart by at least about 0.5 mils from adjacent ones of the edges.12. The panel of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the lighttransmission sheets is less than about I mil and wherein each of thelight collector assemblies includes at least about 10 of the lighttransmission sheets positioned along a portion of the receiver elementbody.
 13. A light concentrator assembly, comprising: a light receivingelement formed of a substantially transparent material and having aconcave light receiving surface extending a length of the lightreceiving element; a lens extending over the light receiving surface,the lens receiving light from a light source at a plurality of angles ofincidence and, in response, focusing the received light onto the lightreceiving surface in strips associated with each of the angles ofincidence, the strips being substantially parallel to a longitudinalaxis of the light receiving element and differing in position based onthe angles of incidence; and a light collection and transmissionsubassembly configured to collect at least a portion of the receivedlight concentrated into the strips and to transmit the collected portionof the received light to an outlet of the light concentrator assembly.14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the lens comprises an elongate,arched Fresnel lens.
 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the lightreceiving surface has a cross sectional shape at least partiallycoinciding with a pattern of focal points of the Fresnel lens for lightstriking the Fresnel lens at a set of the angles of incidence.
 16. Theassembly of claim 13, wherein the light collection and transmissionsubassembly comprises a plurality of initial light transmission waferseach extending along the light receiving element with an edge positionedto provide optical contact with a back surface of the light receivingelement opposite the light receiving surface.
 17. The assembly of claim16, wherein the wafers comprise light transmissive material and whereinthe assembly comprises at least about 10 of the wafers positioned aboutat least a portion of a periphery of the light receiving element. 18.The assembly of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the light in thestrips is directed into a set of the edges of the initial lighttransmission wafers at an angle of less than about 42 degrees, wherebythe received portion of the light is transmitted through the wafersassociated with the set of the edges.
 19. The assembly of claim 17,wherein the light collection and transmission subassembly furthercomprises a planar, master light transmission wafer extending adjacentthe light receiving element and formed of a light transmissive materialand wherein the light collection and transmission subassembly furthercomprises a plurality of intermediate light transmission wafersoptically coupled to a second edge of the initial light transmissionwafers to receive the transmitted and collected portion of the receivedlight and to a surface of the master light transmission wafer, wherebythe transmitted and collected portions of the received light input tothe master light transmission wafer for transmission out of the lightconcentrator assembly.
 20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the edgesof the initial light transmission wafers are arranged to be parallelwith a longitudinal axis of the lens, wherein the strips ofconcentrated, received light each have a width that is greater than awidth of each of the edges of the wafers, and wherein a set of two ormore of the initial light transmission wafers receives the collectedportion of the concentrated, received light transmitted through the backsurface of the light receiving element.
 21. A solar energy conversionsystem, comprising: a solar array comprising a plurality of solarmodules, each of the solar modules comprising: a concentrating lens withan elongate body operable to focus light incident upon the lens into astrip-like pattern along its length; a plurality of light concentratorshaving a light receiving trough formed of light transmissive materialwith a curved light receiving surface and light transmitting surfaceopposite the light receiving surface, wherein the light receivingsurface has a cross sectional shape and position relative to the lenssuch that the light receiving surface is at least proximate to positionsof the light focused into the strip-like pattern at a set of incidenceangles; and a plurality of light transmission sheets each with an edgeoptically coupled to the light transmitting surface and extendingsubstantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the light receivingtrough, wherein a set of the light transmission sheets receives at leasta portion of the incident light focused into the strip-like pattern viathe edges; wherein each of the solar module further comprises a masterlight transmission sheet extending adjacent and spaced apart from thelight receiving trough, the master light transmission sheet being linkedoptically to the plurality of light transmission sheets in the lightconcentrators to receive the portion of the incident light from the setof the light transmission sheets; and wherein the solar modules arearranged in the solar array with the master light transmission sheetsoptically coupled, whereby the incident light received by master lighttransmission sheets of the solar modules is combined and transmitted toa light outlet for the solar array.
 22. The system of claim 21, whereinthe light transmission sheets are coupled to the light transmittingsurface such that the light focused into the strip-like pattern entersthe set of the light transmission sheets at an acceptance angle of lessthan about 42 degrees, whereby the entering light is transmitted withinthe set of the light transmission sheet by total internal reflection.23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a collector positioned toreceive the combined and transmitted light at the light outlet of thesolar array.
 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising means forconverting the light received at the collector into thermal energy orelectricity.